It has been confirmed that a Cork City primary school is to get a permanent purpose-built home.

Principal of Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers Adrian Breathnach described the news as “exciting and long overdue”.

“There is a bright future ahead for the school and the local community,” he said.

The Minister for Education Norma Foley confirmed in the Dáil on Thursday that a project manager and design team will soon be appointed to start progressing the new building.

Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers school is currently located on Redemption Road and the co-educational primary school has 298 pupils.

“We are probably 35 years on the road now. We have been nomads travelling from the old Na Piarsaigh clubhouse to the Business Park to our current location,” Mr Breathnach said.

“This is our home, we always felt, in Farranferris. We are delighted we have got the land right next to our current school. It will be a brand-new school on four acres. It will be fantastic. We won’t know ourselves,” he said.

Mr Breathnach said the new permanent purpose-built primary school in the heart of Blackpool is win-win for the students, teachers, and their parents.

“We are still going to be in Blackpool and still have the same catchment area and the same community. We are delighted that we don’t have to move somewhere else for another building.

“Our new building will only be 500m from our current location. We couldn’t have got any closer. Thomas Gould and Kenneth Collins have fought from day one to get the school. We probably started the campaign in 2017 and we were probably surprised how quickly we got approval for it.

“We are absolutely squeezed out here in Farranferris. We are nearly moving up to the attic with some of our classes every year as our numbers are growing.

“We are a two-stream school the whole way up to sixth class. Realistically, you are talking about two years when you look at similar school projects in Cork. Once a project manager and a design team is appointed that is a huge step forward. It will be all go from now on,” he said.

Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, Thomas Gould welcomed the news. He said: “Almost 40 years since the school was established, they will finally have a home. I am delighted for the students, parents, teachers, and staff who have been waiting for this building for a long time.”

Mr Gould said a definite timeline for the completion of the project is now needed. He added: “I hope this announcement shows that the Irish language is going from strength to strength on the northside.”

Sinn Féin councillor Kenneth Collins said: "I'm delighted to finally see this deal go over the line. It's vital now that we see a purpose-built school building up and running as soon as possible."