Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 17 April 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills

Schools Building Programme Delays: Discussion

3:30 pm

Photo of Fiona O'LoughlinFiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I remind members and witnesses to turn off their mobile phones or switch them to flight mode because, as we know, they interfere with the sound system and make it difficult for Debates Office staff to report proceedings. They also adversely affect television coverage and web streaming.

We have reached No. 5 on our agenda, which is our engagement with stakeholders on the topic of the lapse in time between the announcement of the construction of new schools and eventual completion dates. The committee has decided to divide the meeting into two different sessions. We will now start the first session, the purpose of which is to have an engagement with a number of school principals on the topic to which I refer. On behalf of the committee, I welcome our three guests. We have before us Ms Muireann Carr, deputy principal of Ballinteer Educate Together national school. I wish to point out that Deputy Catherine Martin, who had nominated the school, unfortunately has a family bereavement, but Senator Grace O'Sullivan is here in her stead. We also have Mr. Brian Bergin, principal of St. Paul's secondary school, Monasterevin, County Kildare, which is the school I nominated. Our third guest is Mr. Liam Burke, principal of Whitecross national school, Julianstown, County Meath, which Deputy Thomas Byrne nominated. The format is that I will invite the witnesses to make brief opening statements of approximately three minutes' duration and these will be followed by engagement with members of the committee. I thank the witnesses for their written submissions.

Before we begin, I wish to draw the witnesses' attention to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by me, as Chairman, to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. I also advise the witnesses that the opening statements they have made available to the committee will be published on our website after this meeting. I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I now call on Ms Carr to make her opening statement on behalf of Ballinteer Educate Together national school.

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