Allister Calls for Delivery at Castle Tower School
23 January 2012
Following a visit to Castle Tower School in Ballymena, local MLA and TUV Leader Jim Allister has called for delivery of the long outstanding promise of provision of a new build which would combine the present three scattered sites onto the one site at Trostan Avenue.
Speaking after the visit, Jim Allister said:
"You could not visit this school and not be impressed by the immense dedication of the staff, who do marvellous work with such a range of special needs young people, and the urgent need for adequate and modern facilities. Having the 268 pupils and staff scattered over 3 sites, Loughan, Beechgrove and Dunfane, is wholly impracticable, with the situation compounded by the deficiencies of these aged sites, especially Loughan where even on site profoundly disabled children have to be moved outside through the elements to get from one part of the building to another.
"The present facilities are patently not fit for purpose, as amply demonstrated in the Inspector's report. These are young people who are getting the absolute best of care and attention from their teachers and support staff, but the facilities in which they have to operate are so deficient that their replacement should be a priority for the Department of Education. I will be pressing the department accordingly.
"Frankly, when I think of the squander of resources which I witness at Stormont - like an 18% increase this year alone by OFMDFM on its own administration and £100m being wasted over this budgetary period on useless north/south bodies, and unspent millions by Invest NI - it makes me angry that real and deserving need such as exists at Castle Tower is not being met."
