Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will appreciate that the Department has been very willing to work with what the schools wanted. Intentions have changed on a couple of occasions, which is grand and okay. The Department have been willing to facilitate that at all times. It stood back to allow time for the amalgamation to be developed, but that is not happening now. The facts have changed. I am glad the report is back in. The Department is now working on that basis and is happy to do so. It has tried at all times to cater for this. Money was provided for some solutions in 2012, but there was a change of mind. The Department is ready to work with a solution. I think everyone agrees that a single site would be ideal. The Department would agree with that as well. It is now a question of making it happen. That willingness exists on the Department's side. The matter now seems to be progressing from the school's side as well, which is helpful.

See this speech in context