Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a bheith anseo. Scoil Chiaráin was founded in 1970 and educates boys and girls of primary and post-primary age with mild to moderate special needs. Scoil Chiaráin helps them to develop socially and educationally within a stimulating, friendly environment. Every child, particularly those with special needs, should be given whatever supports are necessary to remain in education. Scoil Chiaráin provides a caring and friendly atmosphere that helps children to develop to the best of their ability their social and learning skills. Many of the children struggled in mainstream education. Many experienced bullying because of their disabilities or were overwhelmed by the regular education system. Some self-harmed or developed eating disorders because they were unable to cope in mainstream education. These children have complex needs and many have been out of school for up to three years. Scoil Chiaráin changed all of that for them. It provided smaller classes with a special school curriculum. They have thrived in this caring and welcoming school environment. Scoil Chiaráin teaches children, through adaptive programmes, the life skills and coping mechanisms they need as they grow into young adults and become confident members of their community.

However, this valued school has for more than ten years had to exist with structural problems that no school should have to endure. As long ago as 2012, the process to initiate the redevelopment of the school began. The school was surveyed, only to discover a shocking list of defects identified at that time. The report found that the foundations were unstable and that there were major problems with the sewage system. Along with other structural issues, the school building was deemed not fit for purpose.

Many of the issues identified over the intervening years have not yet been fully remediated. In 2020, the Department of Education agreed to a new build. When some concerns were raised about the initial design, it was revised and subsequently fire safety consultants and landscape artists were appointed. In June 2021, the plans for the new build were approved, thereby completing the design stage. In August 2021 the planning application was submitted and planning permission was granted that December. Both the disability access certificate and the first safety certificate were granted in early 2022. With everything effectively in place, the parents are at a loss to know when construction is to begin on site. At present, there is no library or quiet reading space for the children. There are no rooms for therapists to come in to see children or even to do assessments. The school only has one disabled toilet, which has to serve all the children with physical disabilities. There are not enough classrooms and contrary to the methodology of the school, classrooms are in danger of becoming overcrowded. Therefore the school cannot accept many children who have applied because of the lack of classroom capacity.

This is not a comprehensive list of the current problems. There are too many to outline in the short time I have to speak here. The parents and teachers want to know, and more importantly, the pupils want to know, when is this new build going to begin. There seems to be an inordinate delay in the tendering process. What stage are we at with regard to the tendering process? Will the Minister of State outline for the parents of these children, details of the status of the start of the redevelopment of Scoil Chiaráin? Will he commit to a date for the commencement of construction?

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