New Autism Unit for Ardscoil Phadraig

New autism unit for Ardscoil Phadraig
By Aisling Kiernan

This article appeared in The Longford Leader newspaper 23 September 2009

It's good news for one north Longford Secondary school this week with the announcement that it is to receive a new autism unit in the coming months.
This latest development means that Ardscoil Phadraig in Granard is the first second level school in Co Longford to benefit from such a facility and highlights the growing need for the incorporation of such facilities into the Irish education system.

Planning permission has been granted by Longford Co Council to County Longford VEC for the development of an Autism/Special Needs Educational Unit at Ardscoil Phadraig in Granard.

The new detached single storey building with pitched roof will be located to the rear of the school adjacent to the west wing entrance lobby at the site and is expected to be up and running in the next four to five months.

Ardscoil Phadraig Principal, Ms Rosemary Johnston said that the VEC was now inviting tenders for the completion of the Autism Unit at the school and she highlighted that once the tender was selected the development would commence.

"We would expect that once the tendering process is over, the new unit should be completed in about four or five month's time," she said. "The unit will cater for special needs students at the school and students who have autism will also be able to enrol here at the school."

The school principal went on to say that the development was a very positive step forward for the school and that despite the current economic climate she was very confident that special needs students in the Granard area would be in a position to enrol at the school in the coming months.