Minister and bishop place another brick in the wall of rathwire school

There's no homework being done in the houses of Rathwire this evening - and that's because the Minister for Education and Skills directed that there should be none done!

Minister Jan O'Sullivan was in Rathwire today for the "sod turning" for the new St Joseph's NS - but she and Bishop Michael Smith were relieved of the obligation to start digging, due to the fact that construction is already well underway on site.  And thus, they each laid a brick in a wall to the front of what will ultimately be a 16 classroom school.

Saying she had never received such a welcome anywhere before, the minister declared Monday a homework-free day for the youngsters of Rathwire.

Also present for the occasion were Deputies Gabrielle McFadden, James Bannon, Robert Troy and Willie Penrose, as well as Cllr Frank McDermott - whose daughter teaches at St Joseph's of Rathwire, and Cllr John Shaw.