Funding for a new state-of-the art secondary school has been approved for Ballygunner.
It's understood the building will go next to the existing Gaelcholáiste Phort Láirge and provide much-needed new facilities for them.
The news comes in what's already already an exciting week for the area - with their first ever All-Ireland Club Final coming up on Saturday.
Speaking to WLR News this morning, Waterford Independent TD Matt Shanahan says great credit is due to the Principal Cáit Ní Shéa.
And he says it's welcome news for the area:
"It's very good news that we finally have confirmation from the Department of Education that a new build is in planning now for the Gaelcholáiste, for 350 secondary school students.
"We got confirmation there yesterday that it's now in a funded envelope of several other projects to be progressed now over the next 18 months to two years."
The Gaelcholáiste was founded in 2007, initially in the Rugby Club in Kilbarry until June of 2011.
After the summer break that year, students were welcomed onto their current site in Ballygunner.
Deputy Shanahan says a new building is needed:
"This is a brand new school. State of the art and it will be as good as any other new school being built in the country. It will replace the existing largely portacabins, which are on site.
"It's a really significant investment, a really significant development for East Waterford in terms of the development and retention of learning through Irish.
"Just while I have the opportunity, I'd like to pay great respect to Cáit Ní Shéa, who has really driven this project and this vision."
This new build will take into account the growing popularity of the Ballygunner area, but Deputy Shanahan points out that more secondary school places will be needed in general in a city that's continuing to grow:
"We need additional secondary school units built in the city. However, this is a significant investment in terms of Gaelcholáistí, which are very, very important.
"We need to retain ár dteanga and ár gcultúr and this is a significant step towards that.
"The Gaelcholáiste has flourished since it's come into the Ballygunner area and it's very well supported. The intake of students this year is up about 40 on last year and this will allow it to continue to scale over the next couple of years."
While the Department has confirmed the funding will be made available for the build, the exact amount has yet to be revealed:
"The funding is in a capitol-funded envelope," Deputy Shanahan says, "I don't have an idea at this point. But the Department await the design drawings and the implementation of a design team and architects etc.
"When we get further down [the line] we will have a better idea but it will be significant."
