Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Department is most definitely adopting a common sense approach in dealing with matter. The Deputy suggested that a meeting be arranged with the board of management. A meeting with the board took place last August and there has been significant and ongoing communication with the board since then.

The architects and engineers working in the Department's building unit possess great wisdom, knowledge and experience. There is always a considerable contractual risk in seeking to change the brief of a project once construction has commenced. While it may have been possible to do so at an earlier stage, the works have reached an advanced stage. The timing of the application from the school authorities, the need to design the proposed changes, the current progress on site and the cost of the works present a considerable contractual risk to the board of management and it would not be wise to subject it to such risk. The option remains of progressing the application for two additional classrooms via a devolved grant. This approach is the most cost effective, low risk option for the school authority.

See this speech in context