“I have received news from Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe that Ballylanders is to receive grant aid up to €100,000. Ideally we’d have liked more money to help build a new school building. But this is definitely a step in the right direction. This money will help the school ensure that there is a solution in place, either through the building of an extension or the provision of a temporary prefab,” he said.

He added that he would continue to lobby the minister and the department for further funding.