Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth
Schools Building Projects: Department of Education and Youth
2:00 am
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Apologies have been received from Senator Joe Conway.
Everyone is very welcome. I ask those attending remotely to mute their microphones when not contributing so we do not pick up any background noise or feedback. As usual, I remind all those in attendance to ensure their mobile phones are on silent mode or switched off entirely.
Members attending remotely are reminded of the constitutional requirement that in order to participate in public meetings members must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex.
As the officials are within the precincts of Leinster House, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the presentations they will make to this committee. This means they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say at the meeting. However, they are expected not to abuse this privilege. It is my duty as Cathaoirleach to ensure this privilege is not abused. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.
Members are also reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or entity outside the Houses of the Oireachtas, or an official of the Houses, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.
There are two sessions in today's public meeting. The first item on the agenda relates to the current and future plans for the school building unit, with specific reference to, first, the school investment plan 2026-2030, and, second, delays in completing school extensions.
I welcome the following officials from the school building unit of the Department of Education and Youth: Mr. Hubert Loftus, assistant secretary; Mr. David Skene, chartered engineer; Mr. Dermot Brown, principal officer; Ms Valerie Kirwan, principal officer; Ms Áine Cusack, principal officer; and Mr. Murty Hanly, principal officer.
I call Mr. Loftus to make his opening statement, for which he will have five minutes. The opening statement will be followed by the questions from members of the committee. Each member will have a four-minute speaking slot.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
I am grateful for the opportunity to come before the committee today. I will use the opportunity of the opening statement to provide a high-level overview of our work, which may assist the committee in our discussions today. We have also provided the committee with an overview briefing note, which I hope the committee found helpful.
The planning and building unit is based in Tullamore and consists of over 250 staff, whose role is to support the planning and delivery of a modern and sustainable infrastructure for the school system, which involves a school estate of close to 4,000 schools. Over recent years, significant work has been undertaken to review and streamline our systems, processes and procedures. This has ensured they are well positioned to deliver on our commitments under the national development plan, which continues to provide the framework for our work and direction of travel. These reforms support a strategic, co-ordinated and sustainable approach to school planning and delivery.
We have a strong track record of delivery, with over €6.5 billion invested since 2020, which has delivered in the region of 1,400 completed school building projects and over 4,000 smaller scale improvement projects across the country. Through Project Ireland 2040, over €7.55 billion will be invested between 2026 and 2030 to expand capacity and to develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost 1 million students and over 100,000 staff who learn and work in our schools every day. The NDP sectoral investment plan sets out how we will take that work forward, setting clear priorities, strengthening delivery and ensuring continued progress in providing high-quality learning environments for schools across Ireland.
This €7.55 billion in funding is planned to be used in the following way. Some €5 billion will go towards priority projects that expand capacity and modernise school facilities, with a strong focus on special education included in all projects; €2.25 billion will support existing schools through maintenance, small improvement works, ICT grants, minor works grants, climate action programmes like the summer works scheme, and increased capital funding for the youth sector; and the remaining €300 million will be set aside as a contingency fund for the period from 2026 to 2030.
In the near term, we expect strong project delivery across the school system. Construction will take place across about 10% of the school estate during 2026 and 2027. This includes completing some 300 projects that are already under construction and moving a further 80 large-scale and additional accommodation projects to tender or construction over the course of 2026 and 2027. These 80 projects include 45 projects that are already at the tender stage - stage 3 - and 35 projects that currently have planning permission and are at the pre-tender stage - stage 2b.
Projects have been prioritised to meet urgent requirements from a special needs perspective or to provide additional capacity to cater for demographics or to address very significant condition issues at the schools. Alongside this, 25 priority projects will be delivered through the modular accommodation programme to support additional special educational needs, SEN, provision, and this number is expected to grow as more SEN classrooms are sanctioned. That has increased to 31 projects in recent days. The delivery of these projects will ultimately provide over 57,000 new and modernised school places, with a strong focus on special educational needs across all projects.
In 2026, work will also take place across some 8% of schools to repurpose existing space so that more special classes can open for the 2026-27 school year. At the same time, smaller scale maintenance projects and climate-proofing works will be carried out across roughly 10% of the school estate. This will include the first phase of the climate action summer works scheme, involving over 290 projects, along with a range of other projects being delivered through our other climate programmes.
Based on our ongoing prioritisation, some projects may be added to the recently published list over the course of 2026 and 2027, having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need, and taking account of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, we will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.
As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, the Department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of individual projects through the design pipeline, having regard to the continual need to maximise existing capacity and determine the prioritised needs going forward. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools, and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme roll-out. That consultation process is envisaged to start in quarter 2 of 2026. The Department-led energy and condition survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities.
The planning and building unit endeavours to manage the overall school building programme to ensure that projects are delivered in the shortest possible timeframe. However, each project must be seen in the context of an overall programme pipeline that must be managed within the parameters of our NDP funding, the capital works management framework and the infrastructure guidelines. It is also important to bear in mind that project-specific issues can arise from time to time, such as planning, procurement or site-related challenges, which can impact project progression.
Before I conclude, I wish to specifically reference the increased emphasis we are putting on supporting a strong maintenance regime for our schools. We have now provided clarity and certainty on the annual December and January payment timeline for the minor works and ICT grants. We have also indicated that we will be commencing our engagement with stakeholders later in 2026 on the approach for increasing the minor works grant at primary level and, for the first time, introducing a minor works grant at post-primary level. Both of these are envisaged to take effect from the period December 2028 to January 2029 and draw on data from the energy and condition survey that is due to be completed by the end of 2026.
I thank the Chair, and we are happy to take questions.
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Mr. Loftus very much. We are going to move to members' questions. There are two sessions happening today. This section of the meeting has to end at 2.20 p.m. We have all members wanting to contribute. We also have some non-members wanting to come in from various parties and non-parties. It is going to be four minutes per member. Usually, we allow time to drift over, but I will be a lot stricter with the time today to ensure we get that flow going. It is quite a specific focus. If members want stuff answered, I ask them to start going with questions so that we get the maximum amount of time for the answers.
We will begin with Deputy Ní Raghallaigh. There will be no time for that 40 seconds overrun.
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh na finnéithe ar fad, gabhaim buíochas leo as ucht a bheith anseo. I wish to raise two particular schools in my dáilcheantar of Kildare South. I raise St. Anne's Special School on the Curragh. It is in dire need of a new building. The demand for places is huge. It has 26 pupils on the waiting list once all the places are filled. The new building that it is waiting on will open up an additional 18 places. Currently, it has a leaky roof and mould. These are unacceptable conditions for any child but especially our most vulnerable. The schools is constantly having to put in an emergency works application and there are constant issues with that while it is waiting. The new building is currently at architectural planning stage 2b, detailed design. This includes the application for statutory approvals, which have been secured, and the preparation of tender documents. The Department received a stage 2b submission report from the design team in the autumn of 2024. It commenced a detailed review of this report by the multidisciplinary team. On completion of the review, the Department issued comments to the design team requesting clarification. It still has not got it. The school has been waiting to move to stage 3 for over a year.
We have Scoil Mhuire National School in Allenwood. It is looking for temporary accommodation as a matter of urgency. I have had so many emails from parents about this school. These are families who have lived in the area for generations. They cannot send their kids to their local school. A lot of development has been happening across the county recently. The school is at stage 2b of an additional accommodation developed project. However, the need for additional space is at boiling point now.
Kildare South is part of one of the commuter counties. It is fast growing but public services are not keeping up. Investment is happening, but it is too slow. I ask Mr. Loftus to explain the delays for my constituents.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
I thank the Deputy for her question. At the outset, we are very conscious that Kildare is a county that has very significant housing roll-out. It is one of the areas where we are putting a very strong emphasis on school provision roll-out. We have invested over €400 million in Kildare over the past six years, so it is very strong. There were 49 projects delivered during that period. We have seven projects at construction and a further 12 projects going to tender and construction in 2026 and 2027. There is a lot happening in Kildare.
Regarding the two projects that the Deputy referenced, special schools are a particular priority for the Department, including the planning building unit. We recognise the importance of them. St. Anne's Special School is one of the projects on our prioritised list for progression in 2026 and 2027. As the Deputy said, it is at stage 2b. We would envisage that project progressing to tender in 2026 with a view to getting it to construction in 2027.
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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I am trying to understand the delay. It seems to be quite a common thing to get from stage 2b to the next stage. Is this happening across the State? I am just trying to understand it. Is this the norm?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
During 2025, the Department of public expenditure initiated a review of the NDP that ultimately resulted in the NDP being published and finalised in the summer of 2025. That set the landscape for every Department in terms of its funding parameters going forward. Following on from that, each Department was tasked with essentially setting out what it was going to do and deliver under the NDP. From the Department of education's perspective, we have set out a very clear sectoral investment plan covering the full gamut of what we are delivering. As part and parcel of that, we have set out in very clear terms the first tranche of priority projects that we are progressing. St. Anne's Special School is one of those.
Regarding the other school that the Deputy referenced at Allenwood-----
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I apologise to Mr. Loftus. This is going to happen quite a lot. If there are questions answered or unanswered, I ask Mr. Loftus and his officials to come back to members beyond the meeting. I am conscious that we are about to be hitting the witnesses with a lot of questions.
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Mr. Loftus very much.
Shane Curley (Fianna Fail)
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I thank Mr. Loftus very much for his presentation. He mentioned that €5 billion of the capital budget would be spent on priority projects with a strong focus and prioritisation of special education. Loughrea in east Galway has not got a single purpose-built special classroom at second level in a town and rural hinterland that cater for 24,000 people. First, can the Department stand over that? Second, there is a perception out there that there is an exercise to kick projects down the road and delay the stream of projects coming on stream. St. Brigid's College in Loughrea has an issue where it is trying to get past stage 2b. It has six special classrooms in its plan of 13 classrooms, which is a huge commitment to special education. The Department could do an awful lot more to help it get through the paperwork and the tedious stuff that is delaying the project. I ask for a comment on St. Brigid's College in Loughrea. Why is it being delayed so much?
Shane Curley (Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate that. I am under time pressure. I need to stick to St. Brigid's College.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
On the first issue that the Senator raised regarding special classes in Loughrea, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is the statutory entity that determines what is needed where and when. We then work through what the accommodation solution is to achieve that. We work very closely with NCSE in that regard. That sort of determines how that moves forward.
I would reject any suggestion that we are kicking a can down the road. We are proud of the very strong delivery record. We have put that on the record in the briefing note that we have provided to the committee. We have also set that out in our opening statement. We have an awful lot delivered. If one looks across the country as a whole and at all the different projects that we are delivering between large scale, modular, additional accommodation, summer works and repurposing, there are probably close to 1,000 projects that are going to be on site in 2026. That is a record level of delivery. It is really strong and good. We cannot do everything, though. We have to live within our NDP funding parameters and all of that.
Regarding the additional pieces, do any of my colleagues want to come in on St. Brigid's College in Loughrea?
Shane Curley (Fianna Fail)
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It is urgent at this stage. There is not a single purpose-built special education classroom in the town. It needs to be brought on stream quickly.
In relation to Carrabane National School, the principal has spoken to a member of the Department's staff who said that senior management must give her permission to approve the school to issue the letter of intent to the contractor. Why is this taking so long, seeing as we are about a month on since the announcement of projects that are to go to stage 3? Can this be done immediately? We do not want the costs to rise, and God forbid, a contractor to pull out of that project for a second time. Can I get a commitment that will be done with immediate urgency?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
In terms of publishing our NDP, we have published a list of 105 projects for delivery over the course of 2026 and 2027. That number includes 45 projects at tender stage and 35 projects at stage 2b. For the 45 projects at tender, we see them going on site over the course of 2026 predominantly.
It is a month since we published our list and around 20% of those projects have moved forward on their journey.
Shane Curley (Fianna Fail)
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Carrabane had a roof that fell in during the summer. If that was during the school term, it could have been a lethal risk to child. Can I get a commitment that we will push Carrabane on? It is sitting there, waiting to go. The contractor is on site and ready to go. He just needs the green light.
Shane Curley (Fianna Fail)
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Finally, could we get a direct line-----
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I am sorry but I am going to have to move on. Deputy O'Rourke is next. The Senator can, as an ordinary member, flag cases with the Department and open correspondence on them.
Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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I hope the Department can answer now or else correspond in relation to Dunboyne junior and senior national schools in Meath, De Lacy College in Ashbourne and school places in Dunshaughlin generally. Dunboyne national school is home to the longest running school building project in County Meath. It has been going on for 17 years, if not more. There are huge issues, including most recently a subsided prefab floor that is awaiting emergency works. It is at stage 2b. It was further advanced at a previous point and the school is very disappointed that it is not on the list of 105 schools, as I am sure Mr. Loftus can imagine. What progress might we expect to see, given that planning permission is due to expire in August of this year?
Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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I do not need the Meath figures, thanks.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
It is important to say in the context that we have 14 significant projects currently under construction in Meath. We have a further six projects within our list of priority projects that we are progressing. We cannot do everything all at once. The junior and senior schools in Dunboyne are at stage 2b. As the Deputy said, the schools have had a journey and challenges along the way. The schools are not on our prioritised list. We have made our judgments in relation to that, balancing the range of priorities that we have looked at and managing those within our NDP funding parameters. Wherever we have individual interim needs to be met, we will consider those.
In terms of Dunboyne moving forward, no more than other schools that are not on the list, we will be commencing a stakeholder engagement process in quarter 2 of 2026, as I said in my statement. That will be working through the priorities for our second tranche of projects, project roll-out and moving forward.
The situation in relation to De Lacy College in Ashbourne is the same.
Regarding school places in Dunshaughlin in the context of the capital programme that we announced, Dunshaughlin Community National School and Coláiste Ríoga, which is a very significant campus project, are part of that and we are delivering on that.
Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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There will be a window in the second quarter of this year when schools can make their case to the Department that they should be prioritised for the next round of funding. Is that what Mr. Loftus is saying?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
What we will be doing is starting the consultation process with patrons and school management bodies initially and we will be kick-starting that in the second quarter of 2026. That will progress during 2026 and into 2027 and will ultimately work its way down to individual schools and school authorities. That will create a framework for working through the prioritisation process for the next tranches.
Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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The Department will engage with them. Specifically in relation to Dunshaughlin, there is a shortage of places for this September. It is my understanding that the Department has engaged with the local schools and asked for data on the demand, with PPS numbers and so on. The schools will, I know, come back with data proving there is an unmet need there, which could be somewhere in the region of 80 children. Is that going to happen very soon? If it does, is that going to trigger something in the Department to deliver extra places for September? What can parents expect?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
Ultimately, our job is to make sure that every child has a school place. We are doing those very significant projects at the community national school and Coláiste Ríoga. We are also doing that engagement with individual schools about the admissions process and how that is working through. We are also conscious that, for example, Dunshaughlin Community National School, though based in the town, has quite a wide enrolment catchment area. The primary school survey that we have done-----
Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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I am sorry to interrupt but if there is an identified shortage of places for September, will the Department provide those spaces?
Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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The Department will do that.
Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I will get straight into it because of the time constraints. As has been mentioned previously, there are an awful lot of schools at stage 2b. It seems to be the hardest stage for schools to get over. Students of Scoil an Chroí Naofa in Ballinasloe are visiting Leinster House today and their school, luckily, moved from stage 2b to stage 3 in the last announcement. However, the design team is now dealing with the fact that requirements changed in September 2025. The team has to go back and revisit the package that it put together in its submission and incorporate the changes. I hope that is not going to cause a delay. Given the changes that were implemented in 2025 and all of the schools that are currently at stage 2b, is the Department going back to them now and asking them to update their plans to meet the new criteria it introduced in September of last year?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
I thank the Senator for the question. Regarding Scoil an Chroí Naofa, that is a long-standing project. There are significant condition issues at the school and Ballinasloe is an area of demographic pressure as well, so we are conscious of the importance of moving that forward. We will be working with the design team to enable that to work through and move forward.
In terms of stage 2b projects, and the large-scale projects of which Scoil an Chroí Naofa is one, the prioritised ones that we worked with were those that had planning permission worked through. More generally, stage 2b covers the equivalent of about 2% of the school estate. That is the sort of cohort of projects at that stage. It generally takes about two years to fully work through a stage 2b process, including planning permission and all of that. That can get a bit elongated if it is a difficult and challenging planning permission, with appeals to An Coimisiún Pleanála and so on.
Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I am sorry to interrupt but the Department introduced the changes in September 2025. Is it engaging with all of the schools that are at stage 2b now to upgrade their packages?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
That will be part of the normal process and will also be part of the consultation process that we will be looking at there. As we move forward on the consultation process, it will be about working through the priorities and making sure that projects in the next tranches are essentially shovel ready.
Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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They will not experience the delays. That is perfect.
In relation to the climate action summer scheme, the Department has had a very successful PV installation programme. I think around 2,500 schools have had such installations completed. Of the schools that have not taken that up as of yet, has the Department noticed a correlation with those applying for summer works scheme funding to get their roofs fixed? Would that be one of the main barriers to the installation of solar panels?
Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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That is my point. If schools have not taken up that scheme and have applied for funding for roof works, that is obviously a clear indication that the roof was not good enough to avail of the solar panel scheme. Are those schools being prioritised or is the Department even getting down to that granular level?
Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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The issue is the roof and the correlation. I am just curious as to whether the Department is looking at that. Some schools are not availing of one programme but are applying for funding under another. They obviously need the latter and are not just applying-----
Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I would like to get an answer specifically on Ballyforan National School, if possible.
Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I apologise that I was absent for the statements. I had a question in the Dáil. No matter what constituency one represents, the needs are all the same. It is all about the need for new schools and so on. One of the things that I am always concerned about is parents and teachers describing schools as substandard in terms of overcrowding and stating that some special needs assistants are operating in hallways and, on occasion, in converted cloakrooms. How much of a priority are situations like that afforded in the context of newbuilds? It is quite complex in a scenario where we are invited to schools as elected representatives and we witness at first hand the plight of the teaching and other staff in trying to maximise space. In very many cases, they are reducing the size of or converting cloakrooms, general purpose rooms and staff rooms in order to facilitate the work to which I refer. This is all the more pressing now in the context of school meals, because they also have to be managed in the same space. Do the witnesses have any comments on that?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
That would be a question for the planning and building unit. We look at the national picture. In considering that and if we take primary schools as an example, because that is where the bulk of the schools are, we are very conscious of the direction of travel in terms of demographics and of the fact that we will see a reduction of over 100,000 in the number of pupils over the next decade or so. When we are making our investment decisions about individual primary schools, we must be conscious of forward planning and what the demographic projections look like in that space.
More generally, in terms of the €7.5 billion we got as an NDP investment for the period 2026 to 2030, we are very conscious of maximising the outputs that we can achieve from that money. We are also very conscious of the importance of making schools maximise the existing capacity they have locally and making sure that enrolment policies align with local needs in terms of mainstream and SEN.
One general point is that we are doing an energy and condition survey of the entire school estate. We expect to have that completed this year. It will be a rich source of data for us in terms of looking at the comparable picture for individual schools. Ultimately, it is always an evolving picture for us. It is not static. We always have to look at priorities and needs on the basis of the picture facing us, where the pressures lie in terms of enrolment, where the housing roll-out is and where the SEN requirements are. We work through those as best we can.
Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I have 45 seconds left. In the context of the survey Mr. Loftus just mentioned, if something stark sticks out in terms of the audit, how is it dealt with?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
If you look at the school system and the maintenance of it, traditionally, it is very much school led. For example, schools use the grants that we give for summer works, etc.. They apply for those and for emergency works. What this will do for the first time is provide the Department with a rich source of data. We will look at the different elements and at the overall condition in an innovative way. We will also look at energy profiles. That will help us to take a more proactive view regarding the maintenance of the school estate. That was an important priority for us in the context of the NDP.
Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Gabhaim buíochas le Mr. Loftus.
Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
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I want to mention three schools that are all in Cavan, where I am based. The first is St. Aidan's Comprehensive School in Cootehill, which has been seeking additional accommodation for a long time but which has been refused it. The school has been granted permission to proceed with an engineering unit, but it has been precluded from including anything else in the project. The school opened an autism class last year. It repurposed a classroom to do this. There is now demand for a second autism class but the school has no more classrooms to repurpose. What is it supposed to do? It is facing turning students away in September because it just does not have enough room any more. The school has the space for a newbuild, and it really does need it. The school does not have any space for a canteen, and there is no social space. Apparently there is no funding for that. The school will have to fundraise.
Ballynarry National School near Kilnaleck in County Cavan is in the parish of Ballymachugh. It opened two autism classes. The hall has been repurposed as two general classrooms. As a result, the school has lost the use of the hall for other purposes. It wants the hall back for PE. The school applied for a newbuild in 2024. It waited almost a year only to be refused. It applied for two modular classrooms a year ago and still does not know if it can proceed. What is the school supposed to do in September when it has numbers coming in that it cannot accommodated?
Milltown National School in Belturbet has also been waiting almost three years for a sanctioned build to proceed. Every time the school responds to the Department with whatever is required, it is somehow told that it needs something else and then something else. It seems to be a very long and convoluted process. Even if the school got the go-ahead today, what it needs would not built in time for September. That is when it will be needed as a result of the numbers in the class.
We have many more schools like this. I wonder how the Department prioritises which schools get the go-ahead and which do not, because no school that I know of applies for additional space or replacement space unless it actually needs it, either as a result of numbers or the condition of the building.
In another school with which I was in contact, a classroom was repurposed for an autism class. The Department spent over €300,000 on the project. That is an outrageous amount for repurposing a classroom. The same school repurposed another classroom. It spent €30,000 and the job done was better. That is not money well spent.
I have heard that modular units cost in the region of €400,000. Is that true? If it is, are companies out there just taking the biscuit? These companies know that there is a huge need for modular space, especially to accommodate students with additional needs. Are they just saying "The Department has to spend this money, so let us take advantage"? If that is the case, something needs to be done.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
I thank Senator Tully for her comments. I will move through the individual schools to which she referred. The project at St. Aidan's in Cootehill is at stage 2b. As I said earlier, it is not on our prioritised list. No more than other schools, it will be part of the consultation process with patrons and management bodies that will commence in quarter 2. I know the school is looking for a bit more accommodation beyond what is in the design as well. Obviously, that will be part and parcel of the discussions. If there are interim needs, the school can interact directly with the Department in relation to them.
Ballynarry applied for a classroom and special class space, among other things. That is being considered by the Department in terms of a modular build. We are also conscious that the enrolment projections in that general area are more on a downward curve than an upward curve, so we have to factor that into our decision-making in terms of the long-term requirements and how that works through.
Milltown National School in Belturbet is in the earlier stages of our pipeline. We can go back separately to the Senator on the correspondence.
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, it would be fantastic if Mr. Loftus could correspond with Senator Tully. I thank him. I am sorry about the time constraints.
Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I want to refer to Dublin West. Mr. Loftus stated that school numbers are decreasing. That is obviously not the case in Dublin West and a number of other constituencies. Is Dublin West getting the level of service it needs?
Mr. Loftus launched the development plan in Dublin West. I refer to the schools on the Navan Road. The area comprising Ashtown, the Navan Road and Pelletstown is growing, but a number of the schools there are quite old. People feel very aggrieved that two schools on the Navan Road were left out of the building programme. The two schools are Mary, Help of Christians Girls National School and St. John Bosco Senior Boys National School. They were not included, and the boards of management, the parents and former pupils have been contacting TDs. I just want to give Mr. Loftus an idea of some of the conditions in the schools. One past pupil said that there are rotting doorframes, deteriorating toilet flooring, learning environments compromised by a lack of natural light and storage heating units that are not energy efficient or capable of adequately heating classrooms. As a result of the latter, children struggle to stay warm enough to learn effectively.
On wet mornings, pools of water gather in the porch area. Those conditions constitute a serious health and safety concern. Does Mr. Loftus agree with that? Does he think it is good enough that in 2026 we have schools where children are cold and the buildings are not put on the priority list? Does he also agree - and this is something that has always struck me - that if any other group of workers or adults were asked to work or attend in those environments, there would be an outcry? Yet, it seems to be okay for children and school staff to do so.
The school only has access to a shared hall once a week, which makes it very difficult to deliver the physical education programme. Outdoor activities are encouraged, but the yard surface is unforgiving and unsuitable for many forms of safe physical activity. The building is clearly at the end of its functional life. What does it take for a school to be included in the school building programme? The management of the school has engaged hugely around this. What is the position of both schools in the context of future phases? What is a realistic timeline for redevelopment or significant investment? Mr. Loftus mentioned that projects can be added to the programme throughout this year and next. What are the criteria for being added to the programme?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
In terms of the projects she referenced, they are at stage 2a of our design process. When we looked at the list of 105 projects, particularly the 80 large-scale and additional accommodation projects, our priorities were, first, that we wanted to clear the decks on the projects were already out to tender. There were 45 projects in that regard. We want to make sure that they move smoothly to construction and are delivered. We then added in another 35 stage 2b projects that had planning permission. The schools in this cohort included special schools, schools that did not have permanent accommodation, schools that had significant condition issues or demographic pressures-----
Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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Does Mr. Loftus not think that the conditions I read would merit the schools in question being included?
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Mr. Loftus. We are well over time. I am up the next on the speaking roster. The clerk might give me a nudge when I am getting near the four-minute mark.
As a general point to begin with, I do not buy into this whole idea of maximizing the use of space that much. When I visit schools I am being informed that the halla is being used for particular purposes. Partitions are being put up and school meals are being cooked alongside areas where special classes are happening. Pathetic little partitions that are four or five feet high are being used in this regard. The library shelves are being wheeled out and used as partitions. That is not right. It is not a good use of space.
I want to reference a number of specific projects. The first is Gaelscoil Mhichíl Cíosóg Inis, one of the largest primary schools in Clare. It has a massive enrolment and is a proud Gaelscoil. It was initially promised five new classrooms in 2014. Two more classrooms were added to that brief. Eventually, it the project was altered from additional school accommodation to a major extension. It has languished there ever since. There has been correspondence over and back. The principal and I have looked at the criteria of some of the recent approvals regarding the list of 105 schools going to tender. They are incomparable. The enrolment and everything else at Gaelscoil Mhichíl Cíosóg Inis speak strongly to the fact that it should have been included.
The next on is St. Joseph’s Secondary School, which is in Spanish Point in West Clare. The project relating to St. Joseph's has also stagnated at stage 1a. The school submitted a stage 1/2a report to the Department on 19 March of last year but has heard nothing back. It school is constantly being told that the report is with the technical people but then it hears no more. Of particular alarm for management is that there are just four toilet cubicles for the 220 girls who attend the schools. That is wrong by any metric and in any work or educational environment. I urge the Department to move on with that project.
Clonmoney National School has a simple ask. It is a very progressive school. It has a long-standing application for a new SEN building. That needs approval. The school is in a very populated area. We are hoping the Department can give us some good news on that.
I am looking for the Department to send out some officials to Scoil Mhichíl. It is in a place called Cahermurphy in West Clare. It is a wonderful school. There is a lot of good teaching and learning happening there, but the building is very old. I was quite alarmed by what I saw there. The fuse board is not safe. A teacher got burnt one day when trying to replaced a fuse. The SET lesson and support and literacy happen in the hallway. It is a two-storey building. The 14 or 15 children involved sit up on the stairs for their reading lesson. They sit on the steps and the teacher sits in the hallway. The teacher has to move each time a class or a teacher comes in or out.
Those are four examples. I hope I have left the Mr. Loftus enough time to respond to some of them. I have provided details in writing if he needs to come back to me.
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Do not mind that one; deal with the others.
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Mr. Loftus might answer on the projects to which I refer.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
Absolutely. St Joseph’s is at stage 2a. It is with our technical team. We can follow through to see where that is at. It is in the earlier part of our pipeline relative to the projects that got there.
In terms of Scoil Mhíchíl, my advice is that the school should get its own architect to look at what the critical needs are. We have an emergency works scheme that can deal with any immediate emergency issue that exists.
On Clonmoney school and the SEN project, the needs there can be looked at in the context of where the priorities are for the NCSE, what is the biggest demand in terms of the-----
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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What about Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg Inis?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
The Gaelscoil in Ennis is at stage 2b. There were a lot of projects at stage 2b. We had to make hard decisions in terms of prioritisation. The Gaelscoil did not make it as part of that, but we will be working through the next tranche of projects. The consultation process in respect of those will be starting-----
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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When Mr. Loftus delayed, for a second I thought he was going to announce something big. No such luck.
Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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I thank the witnesses for being here. I want to refer to two schools in my constituency. There are more, but I am only going to bring up two because I only have four minutes. Our Lady of Wayside National School in Bluebell is currently at stage 2a. It took the school almost a year to get approval to go for planning, which is the previous stage. The school is worried about more delays. It is in desperate need of these building works and would love to know what the timeline will be. When I visited the school, I was struck by the fact that those there are warm of heart. There is a lovely sense of care in the school and the staff have a passion for teaching, learning and making sure every child succeeds. Unfortunately, the school building is outdated and draughty. It is difficult to work in those conditions.
The second school is Scoil Mhuire gan Smál in Inchicore, which is having an absolutely horrific time with toilets overflowing and the things that come from them spewing out all over the corridors. The worst part is that this is happening on the second floor, so material is seeping down through the ceilings and onto the ground floor. The school is also in line for new building works. When it applied for emergency works twice, however, it was told "No". The board of management has written to the Department to ask why but it did not get a response.
It will be ten weeks before the school can apply for further funding. It engaged a consultant who quoted it €7,000 for a Portakabin toilet block for the children for that ten-week period. The school community is at its wits’ end because, needless to say, it is totally unsanitary to work in those conditions. It is unfair for teachers, the principal, SNAs and others who work in the school to have and clean up toilets, particularly when we consider that two applications for emergency works have been unsuccessful.
Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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Stage 2a. It is Our Lady of Wayside National School in Bluebell.
Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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They were told "No" twice.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
One of the things we are very conscious of, and we explained it to the school, is that while we will support and facilitate emergency works at the school, it is important the parameters of what it applied for are within the parameters of the emergency works scheme. What was applied for went beyond what it was addressing. Emergency works, by their nature, are for emergency works and-----
Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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Are toilets overflowing not an emergency?
Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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Does the school need to apply to something else then?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
No. The parameters of what it looked for went beyond the immediate need to be addressed. The emergency works scheme is about making sure the school can operate safely and dealing with that immediate need. Separately, wider needs can be addressed through the likes of our summer works scheme, or other schemes, in a more planned way. The emergency scheme is dealing with the emergency.
Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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I will stop Mr. Loftus there. If the toilets are overflowing, they cannot teach or learn and they cannot be in the school because it is disgusting. I do not understand how that is not an emergency and the school does not either. It has not got a response from the Department, which is unacceptable. I do not understand. Whatever funding or stream the Department needs it to be - pardon the pun because I am talking about streams coming out of toilets - we need the funding for that school immediately. It needs to be rectified. They cannot be teaching in it and kids cannot be going into that school.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
Absolutely. I fully agree with the Deputy on the immediate need, the flooding issue and blocked pipes. That is the emergency works, but what was applied for went well beyond that. We are linking in with the school to make sure it focuses on the core issue and the immediate emergency. We will work with it to make that and work a solution around that.
Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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I might need to link back with the Department with regard to whether the school needs to adjust what it applied for. Maybe it has not before.
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Department will have to come back in writing on the other project.
Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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I apologise for having to slip out when Mr. Loftus was making his opening statement. I had a question during Questions on Policy or Legislation in the Dáil. He might need a pen and paper for the names I am about to go through with him.
Nenagh Community National School needs some classroom space for September. There are discussions with the Department about a permanent build, which is very welcome. It has the space on a tight site and can do it but I am getting conflicting answers on whether it is a modular build or a permanent build. We are obviously not going to have permanent build for September but the school has a new class coming in. It is a vertical, growing school. I raised the matter of Ursuline Secondary School in Thurles with the Department and the Minister previously. It is at stage 2a. An enormous extension to that school was announced in 2022, yet we have not moved beyond stage 2a. Scoil Naomh Cualán in Borrisoleigh is at stage 1. Kyle Park National School in Borrisokane needs a modular building. There is also Coláiste Mhuire in Thurles, Coláiste Phobal in Roscrea and Rahealty in Thurles, which is at stage 2b. Scoil Naomh Chiaráin in Johnstown wants a modular unit for a special class and St. Anne's in Killaloe, which is in County Clare but also covers Ballina, County Tipperary, which I represent, wants to open special autism classes. These are desperately needed in that area but modular builds are needed to make that happen.
We recently had the NDP announcement from the Department of 105 schools for 2026-27. One was announced for Roscrea in north Tipperary, which I welcome, but none of the schools I mentioned were included. A lot of them are waiting a very long time. A lot of them are in urgent need, for example, Nenagh Community National School. The Ursuline in Thurles, which I mentioned to Mr. Loftus previously, is a school built for approximately 600 students with over 900 attending. It has done everything it can, when it comes to its timetabling, to make that work. An entire autism suite is to be built there but it cannot be built until the entire extension is built. What do I tell these schools about when they will get any news on the next stage? Some of them need a modular build right now to get them through to September. Some of them want to provide special education. We want to provide that, but what do I tell them? Should they wait until the end of 2027 and then see what the next announcement is? What is the path for any of the schools in my constituency that I named?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
In the interests of time, I will give the general picture rather than go through the full details of each individual school. For those already in our design pipeline - stage 1a, stage 2a or whatever else - we will work them through that pipeline and assess them. Obviously, we will be conscious of the particular priorities we have to do in that regard in terms of demographics and special needs as we do that journey. For those schools that have applied to get into our pipeline for additional accommodation, for example, Nenagh Community National School, the team are linking in with the ETB around that. We are always looking to see where the demand is coming from, how much of it is a local need and how of much of it is coming from a further distance, to see what the real long-term need to be met in the local area is, in terms of mainstream and SEN, and working that through and prioritising it.
For those that have real needs and have applications with us, we will be working them through to make sure the particular needs are addressed and ultimately make sure that every child has a school place. In terms of those that are in the pipeline-----
Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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I will interrupt Mr. Loftus. Presumably, that means none of those schools will have any news before 2027, when the current 105 are being worked through.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
No. As we said, and as Deputy Coppinger indicated, when we published our NDP we clearly said that other projects may get on to that list where there is an urgent and real need. That could be a modular project. When we announced our list on 28 January, that was 25 modulars. That is now up at 31 and will grow further as more SEN classes are approved.
Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I thank all the witnesses for being here. Ladyswell National School in Mulhuddart is at stage 2b. It fits all the Department's criteria, especially in relation to urgency. It includes special education provision. These are our children. They are some of the most vulnerable children in the country. Will Mr. Loftus let me know why that particular project for block A was not included?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
The job for us is to look at the priorities. As I said, we have 80 large-scale and additional accommodation scheme projects. With 45 projects already out to tender, we wanted to clear the decks on those and move them forward. That then left space for another 35 projects at stage 2b that had planning permission. The Ladyswell project, no more than other projects, would have been considered as part of that journey. Within that, the cohort of schools we were looking at were special schools, schools that had no permanent accommodation and schools that had very significant demographic or condition issues. There is many a school that may say that to us, but we were not able to pick up on every individual need. I am not particularly sure whether that individual project has planning permission yet; our team thinks not. We focused the stage 2b projects on those that had planning permission.
Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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It is with Fingal County Council planning department at the moment. If it passes that, will the Department look at it for the €300 million contingency? I invite Mr. Loftus to come out to have a look at block A. He would be hard-pressed to find an environment as challenging as this is anywhere in the country. The prefabs have long passed their sell-by date and the children need a comfortable environment in order to learn and give them the opportunities they deserve. The staff deserve a comfortable environment.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
My job as head of the planning and building unit covers 4,000 schools, so I do not have the parameters to be able to go out to each individual school. I will make the point about the contingency that the €300 million is to cover us for the period from 2026 to 2030 to deal with unforeseen issues. We will certainly be managing that as best we can. No more than that school or other schools, it is a case of looking to see the next tranche of projects we will be announcing. We will be starting the consultation process on that and looking to see where those highest priorities are in terms of our particular needs as well.
Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Somebody should come out to have a look at the school. It would answer Mr. Loftus's question in relation to where it should come with priority-----
Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Mr. Loftus is always welcome in Dublin West.
Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Moving on to the school village project for Mary, Help of Christians and St. John Bosco schools. This is one of the most innovative designs we are going to see in the country. It is really needed for the Navan Road area. It has been languishing at stage 2a since 2024. An addendum report was submitted on 31 October 2025. Why is it stagnating in 2a? I know it is an important stage in terms of costings and detailed design.
This is a really ambitious project but there does not seem to be the momentum behind it that it requires.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
In regard to that particular project, it is a campus project. It is probably a restricted sort of site to be managed. I refer to working through the needs there and looking to 3c, what would need to be decanted as one is working through the progression of the project and things like that. It is trying to see what is the most efficient way for that project to get done and be worked through as part of that. I know there is a good team working on that and that will work its way through the design way in a normal manner.
Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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There are plenty of solutions on the table there so I would ask Mr. Loftus to again prioritise it.
Aisling Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Mr. Loftus and the team for being here today. In 2003, a former Minister for education published the school building list for the first time for transparency and clarity. Today kind of proves the point of that exercise in that everyone knew where they were on the list, and that it was not then subject to political interference or what has happened here today, with people trying to push along to get onto that list. That is what I would like to advocate for here today as opposed to pushing my schools up the list.
I just wanted to make that point but I will become parochial and ask the witnesses about Boyne Community School. It has been on the list for many years. It sits at stage 2a. It was bundled in 2022 as part of Project Lee with Scoil Mhuire and Gaelscoil na Bóinne. It still sits at 2a while they have progressed to stage 2b. The Department purchased a site of 22 acres to deliver those schools but, every year in September, Boyne Community School has those last-minute issues of no places of children because it has not received this extension of new-build. That is my first question.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
I thank the Deputy. I worked with her father when that list was being published 20-odd years ago.
We certainly see value in having the list published and clarity for schools more generally, notwithstanding the disappointment that can create for individual schools that are not on the list but recognising that is the first tranche of the list and life will move on over the course of the NDP period.
On Boyne Community School, that is at stage 2a and it is part of our National Development Finance Agency, NDFA, programme. The NDFA is a really strong delivery partner for us. When we look at the bundles it is dealing with, it has Project Nore, which are the projects currently at site, very well advanced or coming near their conclusion, and Project Boyne, which is on the list in regard to a cohort of projects. These are all part of a later bundle within that. We certainly see progress being made in regard to that particular delivery pipeline. On the prioritisation process, that consultation process we will be doing is certainly something where we will work through the priorities for Boyne Community School, no more than other schools as well. That is a journey that will be starting with patrons and management bodies in quarter 2 of 2026. That will be done over the course of 2026 and 2027. It is essentially an evolving type of process as we work through.
Aisling Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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On emergency works, a number of schools have been in touch with me regarding applications that have been in for a very long time, which is obviously very difficult for them. I refer to Rathmore National School and O'Growney National School in Athboy. The one that really concerns me is St. Fiach's National School in Ballinacree. Its application is in over a year. It is on a busy road. It has no gate, only a turnstile, and its boundary wall is only a foot high in many places. It operates a very difficult special class situation there at the moment with a number of flight-risk children and it is making no progress in that regard.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
I have two general comments to make. I do not know the detail of every individual school but I have two general comments to make. We had the climate action summer works scheme announced and open for applications from all schools in the first half of 2025. The type of scenario the Deputy raised around the external environment would have been potentially something the school could have applied for. External works was a category of that.
Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I thank Mr. Loftus. He might come back to the Deputy on that. We have another speaker with four minutes and a lot of others queuing to come in, unfortunately.
Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)
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The witnesses are very welcome. It is a really good thing for us that we can sit here and ask questions about our schools. We are very lucky to be in a position to be able to do that.
I am going to talk about three schools. The Ard Rí Community National School at the St. Ultan's campus in Navan, County Meath, was granted planning permission last July. It has been put on the Department's priority list, which is absolutely brilliant. I am on the board of St. Ultan's. Both schools are working out of horrendous conditions so it is great they are on that. Do we have a timeline on it? It is an incredible project. We are going to get 20 classrooms in Ard Rí, including four special classrooms, and 20 classes in St. Ultan's Special School.
The next one, which I have been speaking to Mr. Kevin Mullen at length about, is Cannistown National School, again in Navan. It is on the list for seven mainstream classes, two special classes, two special education tuition rooms, one staff room and ancillary accommodation. It is at stage 2b, like most of the other projects being mentioned here today. They were so disappointed. My goodness; the email that came in when they saw they were not on the priority list. Like Deputy Currie said, all you need to do is take a look at that school and see what they are working out of. I am really hopeful and I would like to push for it to be put into what Mr. Loftus is talking about, that is, the quarter 2 projects, or looking forward to 2027. They are very concerned that the planning permission runs out in a year.
The third is St. Joseph's Mercy Secondary School in Navan. It has planning permission and again, the principal, Mr. David McCormack, is very anxious to know. It is not on the priority list. I am here to advocate for that school as a past pupil of it and to see if we can get it on the list in the next year.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
We are delighted. On Ard Rí and St. Ultan's, that is a campus. It is certainly on our list and it is something we will be moving forward with. We will be engaging directly with the education and training board, ETB, and the school on moving that project forward.
On the other two projects, the Senator said the planning permission is running out on the first one and the other has planning permission. The prioritisation process we will be moving forward with for the further tranches of our NDP roll-out will be the mechanism for dealing with any of those individual schools. To be clear, the consultation process will commence with patrons and management bodies in quarter 2 of 2026 but it will be a rolling process over the course of 2026 and 2027. That will work its way through over time and we will see how that ultimately pans out in regard to the next tranche.
Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)
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To clarify, those whose planning permissions are expiring is taken as a key contribution to a decision.
Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)
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It definitely ticks both of those boxes.
Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)
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Sorry, St. Joseph's Mercy Secondary School.
Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)
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Mr. Loftus will have to talk about it specifically.
Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator. We have six people looking to use ten minutes. In the order that they have come in, I am going to let Deputy Malcolm Byrne in first.
Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and the officials. I have been monitoring the discussion here. My constituency is very blunt; it is the Wicklow-Wexford constituency. There are plenty of schools in purgatory, otherwise known as stage 2b of the school building process. I want to ask a very general question as to why, under the most recent tranche of school building projects announced by the NDP, not a single school - primary or secondary level - in the Wicklow-Wexford constituency was included.
Under all the criteria listed, which included fast-growing areas and conditions of buildings, not a single school was deemed to meet the criteria, even though it is one of the fastest growing constituencies in the country. Bunclody Community College has only three mainstream classes that are not in prefabs. Even though it is an excellent school, it has quite a number of disadvantaged students. Coláiste Bhríde in Carnew, County Wicklow, has been waiting for its development for a very long period. Could Mr. Loftus tell me why our constituency did not deserve any school building programme?
Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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A lot of schools have been at stage 2b for a long time. Why have no schools in Wicklow-Wexford, including the two I mentioned, been included in the latest programme?
Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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Mr. Loftus might come back to the Deputy directly with regard to that issue.
Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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Temple Carrig School is awaiting sanction for an extension to go forward for planning permission. The school met with the Minister recently and she confirmed that there would be an update shortly. Could Mr. Loftus give me that update?
The second issue I raise involves not a school but a much-needed facility, so it is not in the ether yet. Land in Newtownmountkennedy was zoned in 2002 for a school. Newtownmountkennedy is one of the fastest growing towns in the country, while Roundwood, which is a small village beside it, is also growing very quickly. We all know the capacity issues in north Wicklow. While I acknowledge that Greystones Community College is moving out of its modular school building into a fabulous new school building, the modular building will remain on site. It should be moved to Newtownmountkennedy to start a new secondary school there, where it is needed. Could Mr. Loftus tell me what is happening with this building and whether the Department will consider it for Newtownmountkennedy?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
I might ask one of my colleagues to come in on Newtownmountkennedy more generally. I was at the meeting with Temple Carrig School along with the Tánaiste and the Minister. It was only in recent days that we would have indicated that. We said we would be back within a two-week period regarding an update for Temple Carrig School's project and the sports side of things. That is the sort of timeframe that will work through on that. I will let my colleagues talk to the Deputy about Newtownmountkennedy more generally.
Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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Could Mr. Hanly come back to Deputy Whitmore on that?
Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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What is happening with the modular building?
John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I raise the issue of two secondary schools in Galway city. I think Mr. Loftus might have heard a lot about one of them in recent times. It is St. Joseph's Patrician College, which is also known as the Bish. I understand that the stage 2b report is to come back to the Department in quarter 1 of this year. Has the review of that stage 2b report commenced? The review of stage 1 at Coláiste Muire Máthair has commenced. Is it being progressed?
John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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If that stage 2b report comes back, it will not be reviewed.
John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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In the Galway city school planning area, there is a very limited capacity within secondary schools. I think there was about 3% capacity above demand last year. The city planning area takes in pupils from outside the city's primary schools because people working in the city might bring their children to secondary school there even though they would have attended a primary school outside the school planning area, so there is some urgency with increasing demand for secondary school places in Galway city. The Bish could facilitate that.
John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The school planning area.
Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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When did Mr. Loftus and his colleagues become aware of issues at St. Patrick's Primary School in Celbridge?
Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Quarter 4 of 2025.
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
Yes. That would be the most acute. As head of the planning and building unit, I do not get involved in the details of every individual project so the individual teams can be involved more directly at an earlier stage than I am. There were particular issues there that we were conscious of and we worked with the school to deal with those issues. One of our senior architects would have been out at that school, probably around November 2025.
Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Has Mr. Loftus seen the architect's report on St. Patrick's Primary School that was submitted in June 2025?
Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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When we hear about a report that says that the school is unsafe and poses a serious and immediate threat to the well-being, health and safety of its occupants and users, how can the Department stand over children still being in that building right now, at 2.20 p.m.?
Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Peer review is no good to the children or staff. Right now, the floors are rotten, which is a universal failing when it comes to fire safety. It is immediate. I do not think peer review will help. What will happen to St. Patrick's Primary School?
Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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What are those next steps?
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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We are very tight on time so the Deputy can correspond with the Department in writing or via a parliamentary question.
Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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I thank Mr. Loftus for taking this question at short notice, or without any notice really. I wish to mention two schools, both of which I have visited. The first is Scoil Réalta na Maidine, which is a boys' school in Listowel. It is 60 years old. The Brian McMahon Hall in the school is in urgent need of refurbishment. The roof is decaying and could collapse. There is mould and woodworm. Due to the way it was built, there is no internal membrane between the slates. Will the Department look at that as a matter of urgency because it is a vital part of the school building?
The other school is Meán Scoil Nua an Leith Triúigh in Castlegregory. It is a more modern school but there are a number of rooms throughout the school with V-shaped ceilings because of the way it was built. Again, there are the same problems with water ingress. It is concerning, not only to the school staff and principal but also to the pupils. I know the school put in an application under the emergency works scheme and was then advised that it should be done under the summer works scheme. That was the advice given at the time. Would the Department consider it as a late entry to that scheme? Is any extra money available?
We have seen that extra money can be found when necessary. Would the Department consider finding some for those two vital pieces of infrastructure?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
The message for the school authorities of both those schools would be relevant to any school. It is that if they have particular issues with their roof or anything else, it is important they prioritise that as part of their applications to the Department for the summer works scheme. That had an opening window in the first half of 2025. That was the window for them to apply and it was the key priority for them.
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I apologise to everyone, but time is extremely tight. Members can correspond. This meeting has to end at 2.20 p.m. so Deputy Hayes has one minute for a question. I am sorry. I am trying to be fair to everyone.
Eoin Hayes (Dublin Bay South, Social Democrats)
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That is quite all right. I thank the Cathaoirleach for indulging me. I thank the witnesses for coming. It is helpful to have these exchanges.
I will bring up one specific school, Ringsend national school. It is a DEIS school that was built in the 1960s, approximately. The boards of management has decided to merge the boys' and girls' schools. They contacted the Department in July to complain about a toilet plumbing issue. This toilet has overflowed several times. The school got an email on Monday which said it needed to apply to the summer works scheme. If a school asks for emergency works, what is the timeline in which it should get a response? Does the Department think it appropriate to say to a school that has a major plumbing issue, which is a sanitary issue, that it should wait over the course of a year for that issue to be solved?
Mr. Hubert Loftus:
Monsignor Dan O'Connor might be the chair of that school, if I am not mistaken. The Deputy raised emergency works. The key issue for the Department and the quickest way to get a turnaround from the Department is to focus on the emergency issue. If the school does so, generally, the Department will work through it fairly smartly. It is where the issue goes beyond the parameters of that scheme that there will be back and forth with the school. Ultimately, we have to make sure-----
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I apologise. I sincerely thank all the witnesses. We bamboozled them with questions. Time was constrained. If members have additional questions, there are other avenues, but we appreciate them coming today. We will suspend for a few moments.