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Board meets after school arson | Board meets after school arson |
(40 minutes later) | |
Education authorities are to meet later to discuss a plan to accommodate 400 pupils whose County Antrim school was destroyed by arsonists at the weekend. | Education authorities are to meet later to discuss a plan to accommodate 400 pupils whose County Antrim school was destroyed by arsonists at the weekend. |
Much of Whitehouse Primary School on the Doagh Road, Newtownabbey, was destroyed in the blaze on Saturday. | Much of Whitehouse Primary School on the Doagh Road, Newtownabbey, was destroyed in the blaze on Saturday. |
Only the nursery section of the school survived the early morning fire. | Only the nursery section of the school survived the early morning fire. |
Whitehouse Primary is the third school to be targeted by arsonists in the greater Belfast area in the past few days. | Whitehouse Primary is the third school to be targeted by arsonists in the greater Belfast area in the past few days. |
Last Wednesday, St Mary's Star of the Sea Primary School on the Shore Road was damaged in an arson attack. | Last Wednesday, St Mary's Star of the Sea Primary School on the Shore Road was damaged in an arson attack. |
A plastic sign and rubbish bins were set alight and a boilerhouse was extensively damaged. | A plastic sign and rubbish bins were set alight and a boilerhouse was extensively damaged. |
The arsonists also tried to set fire to the roof and sectarian graffiti was written on the building. | The arsonists also tried to set fire to the roof and sectarian graffiti was written on the building. |
A fire at a former school - La Salle Boys' School - on the Glen Road last Thursday is also being treated as suspicious. | A fire at a former school - La Salle Boys' School - on the Glen Road last Thursday is also being treated as suspicious. |
Watch firefighters tackle the blaze | |
Northern Eastern Board officers hope to be able to provide facilities for the pupils of Whitehouse PS when the new school year begins in September. | Northern Eastern Board officers hope to be able to provide facilities for the pupils of Whitehouse PS when the new school year begins in September. |
Gordon Topping, chief executive of the North Eastern Education and Library Board, said there were already plans for a new school on the site but now board officers would have to press the Education Department to release funding quickly to get the rebuild started. | Gordon Topping, chief executive of the North Eastern Education and Library Board, said there were already plans for a new school on the site but now board officers would have to press the Education Department to release funding quickly to get the rebuild started. |
"We are meeting to discuss the various options that are available," he said. | "We are meeting to discuss the various options that are available," he said. |
"It could be mobile classrooms, it could be other schools in the nearby area we can use. | "It could be mobile classrooms, it could be other schools in the nearby area we can use. |
"There is sufficient accommodation round to get the school up and running. | "There is sufficient accommodation round to get the school up and running. |
"We want to reassure parents the school will be up and running on 1 September." | "We want to reassure parents the school will be up and running on 1 September." |