St Luke’s Primary School back on its feet after flooding

Education Minister, John O'Dowd, has visited St Luke's Primary School, Twinbrook, to see the work carried out following flooding earlier this year.
~ Thursday, 29 November 2012

Speaking after the visit, the Minister said: “Earlier this year St Luke’s Primary school was extensively damaged by flash flooding. This was devastating at the time for the teachers and the pupils and my Department quickly invested £52,000 to repair the damage and return the school to a suitable condition in time for the new school year.”

Work carried out included replacing the floors and base cupboards and an internal and external clean-up operation. Continuing the Minister said: “I welcome the opportunity to visit today and see the results of all the hard work and effort that was put in to restoring this school. School staff and staff from the South Eastern Education and Library Board worked tirelessly all summer to ensure pupils had a comfortable and habitable learning environment to return to in September.”

During the visit the Minister had a tour of the school and spoke with both teachers and pupils. The school is part of an extended schools cluster in the Twinbrook and Lagmore area and the Minister met with a group of ladies taking part in the ‘Cook it’ programme.

The school’s cluster focus is community literacy and sport as well as counselling and speech and language support programmes in partnership with Colin Neighbourhood Partnership Early intervention.

In conclusion, the Minister thanked the Principal for the invitation. He said: “I understand that parents expected their children to be taught in temporary accommodation and were delighted to find a finished school. I commend Principal Claire Robinson and her dedicated staff for helping to ensure that the doors were open in September for new and returning pupils.”