The Gibraltar Disability Society says it welcomes the long awaited opening of the new St Martin’s School.

A statement continued: “The original St Martins was opened in September 1976 thanks to the fundraising of parents whose children were excluded from mainstream education. This donation led to the AACR, then in Government, to fully fund the rest of the construction of a new school.

“The issue of overcrowding in the school has been raised by the Society for many years. Especially in 2012 when we brought to the attention of the then education minister that the birth of children with disabilities in Gibraltar had increased by 20% in the three years prior.

“Although not all children born with a disability would automatically attend St Martin’s school there is obviously a chance that a percentage of them would. It is obvious that the need to expand St Martin’s should automatically raise the fundamental need to expand St Bernadette’s Resource Centre. After all the majority of those who attend the school, due to a shameful lack of alternatives for the over 16’s, will require the services of St Bernadette’s.

“The Disability Society has already made suggestions to Government as to how best to achieve this expansion and would be willing to meet as stakeholders to further this discussion.”