Minister Peter Power presents Irish Aid Award to Galway school - 15,000 children participate in global development awards

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Minister Peter Power presents Irish Aid Award to Galway school

15,000 children participate in global development awards

This afternoon, the Minister of State for Overseas Development, Peter Power T.D., presented St. Patrick’s Boys National School (Lombard Street, Galway) with the "Our World" Irish Aid Award. Minister Power made the presentation at the fourth annual Our World Irish Aid Awards ceremony in Dublin Castle. The work of twelve schools was celebrated at the ceremony. Speaking at the Awards, Minister Power said:

"I congratulate the boys of St. Patrick’s Boys National School on their well deserved award. This year we had the highest number of entries ever for the Our World Irish Aid Awards, with over 500 primary schools taking part from all over Ireland. The entries show the huge interest among Irish children in learning about the world around them – and their concern for children in developing countries who are deprived of their most basic rights because of poverty."

The "Our World" Irish Aid Awards encourage primary schools to think about the lives of children in developing countries and learn about the Millennium Development Goals. The St. Patrick’s Boys National School project "A Better World, A Better Place, A Better School" examined the role Irish children can play in improving the lives of children and their families in other parts of the world and the importance of education in long-term development.

Note to the editor:

Irish Aid is the Government’s programme of assistance to developing countries. Over 15,000 primary school pupils from across the island participated in this year’s awards. Three hundred pupils and teachers attended the awards ceremony at Dublin Castle. Popular RTE young people’s presenter Rob Ross presented the awards. The Irish Times is media partner for the awards.

The overall winner of the Our World Irish Aid Award was

St. Patrick’s Boys National School, Lombard Street, Galway.

Also honoured with Highly Commended prizes at this year’s Awards were:

Sandford Parish NS, Ranelagh, Dublin 6 (2 awards)

St. Colmcille’s JNS, Knocklyon, Dublin 16

Scoil an Chroi Naofa, Tralee, Co. Kerry

Gaelscoil Nas Na Riogh, Co. Kildare

Mother of Fair Love Special School, Kilkenny

Castleblaney Central School, Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan

Ballinahinch NS, Birdhill, Co. Tipperary

St. Theresa’s Primary School, Strabane, Co. Tyrone

Waterford Educate Together NS, Tycor, Waterford

St. Peter’s NS, Athlone, Co. Westmeath

Kilmyshall NS, Bunclody, Co. Wexford

Ends+++

10 February 2009

Press Office