Taoiseach Leo Varadkar visited Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School in South County Dublin yesterday to mark International Democracy Day. The visit began with a student-led celebration of democracy in schools, during which Mr Varadkar announced the results of the Stepaside ETSS student council. Addressing an audience of pupils from Stepaside Educate Together National School, Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School and Gaelscoil Thaobh na Coille, Mr Varadkar said:
‘I’m delighted to be visiting Stepaside Educate Together on the day the Government announced details of almost €12 billion in education investment over the next 10 years. Educate Together schools promote and celebrate diversity by empowering pupils and putting them at the centre of an active learning environment that encourages innovative thinking and creative problem solving.’
Commenting on the Taoiseach’s visit today, Paul Rowe, CEO of Educate Together said:
‘Democracy is the cornerstone of the Educate Together movement and permeates Educate Together schools from pupils to teachers to Boards of Management. I was delighted to meet Mr Varadkar today and address with him the very real need to listen to families in Ireland that want Educate Together schools in their locality.’
In more good news for Stepaside ETSS, this week saw an agreement in principal to acquire a site for a new building for the school. Approximately 6.355 acres at the Ballyogan Road in Leopardstown will be acquired from current landowner, Horse Racing Ireland, to accommodate a brand new school building.
Educate Together is very much looking forward to continuing its work with the Department of Education on advancing both the cause of educational equality in this country and ensuring that children have access to state of the art facilities during the school day.
