Minister for Employment and Learning, Carmel Hanna has visited the Springvale Community Outreach Centre in west Belfast to hear at first hand the progress being made on other phases of the £70 million project.

Arriving at the Community Outreach Centre, one of the first elements of the project to be completed, the Minister was welcomed by Gerry Kelly, Chairman of the Springvale Project, and Professor Patrick Murphy, Director of the Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education.

Welcoming the completion of the Outreach Centre phase Carmel Hanna said: “A number of recent studies and Taskforce reports have identified serious social deprivation issues in the area and I am encouraged to see tangible evidence today of a Centre that will work closely with local schools and community groups to tackle low attainment levels.

"Education, of course, is one of the main elements of strategic recovery in the area’s socio-economic life and I urge schools, community groups and agencies to take advantage of the excellent facilities available in Springvale.”

Following her tour the Minister held a meeting with the Board of Springvale during which she was updated on the progress being made on an Applied Research Centre to be constructed on site, and the main campus, expected to be completed in the summer of 2006.

Reaffirming her support for the Springvale project the minister concluded: “My Department and I will continue to work closely with the public, private and community agencies to bring prosperity through education to the very heart of an area that has been clearly identified as most in need. I know too, that my colleagues in the Executive will also continue to give priority to collectively target social need, wherever it is identified throughout Northern Ireland.”

The Community Outreach Centre is expected to be ready for tenant occupation in early May 2002. (MB)