Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to speak about the urgent need for new school building projects in Monasterevin, County Kildare. Everybody in the town knows that the primary schools and the secondary school in the town need new buildings because of the old, cramped conditions that prevail in both school locations at present. I have visited all the schools in Monasterevin on a few occasions. My first visit was in the presence of the then Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, and my party colleague, Deputy Ó Fearghaíl, who emphasised to the Minister the urgent need for these projects to be moved along. During those visits and on various subsequent occasions, I have met, spoken to and had a great deal of contact with the principals and staff members of the three schools in question. I thank the principals for their determination in pushing these important projects forward. If principals do not push these things, they can sometimes be left behind. The three principals in Monasterevin are working in a dedicated manner in the interests of the students in their schools. There is nothing in it for them; it is all about the children of the schools. It has to be acknowledged that the boards of management in all three schools are very supportive. Equally, the parents' council in each school is very much behind what the school authorities are doing.

There are two separate issues in Monasterevin. The development of St. Paul's secondary school, which has a large number of students, is a bit more advanced. That school is based on a very cramped site and its buildings are very poor. I would call many of the structures glorified prefabs. In this day and age, we should be long past having projects and schools like that in operation. That is why it is good that everyone has agreed to the Moore Abbey site. This site has already been provided and dealt with by the Department of Education and Skills. Kildare County Council is happy with it. Traffic issues will arise because the site is on a busy road in the centre of the town as one comes into Monasterevin from Athy via the Kildangan road. This project has been on the building programme prior to now, but it has not been moving very fast. Other school projects have moved much more quickly. It is important for this project to be given priority now. We really want to ensure permission is given for the project to proceed to construction in 2016. At this stage, the detailed designs have been completed. A report was submitted to the Department on 25 September and is currently under review. I have raised both of these issues in parliamentary questions in recent times. I ask the Department to clear the report immediately on the basis that there are no issues arising so that a planning application can be submitted; the fire safety certificate, the disabled access certification and the tender documents can be prepared; construction can start as early as possible in 2016; and the school can come fully into operation.

Everybody in the locality is aware that there are over 500 students in the two primary schools - a girls' school, Scoil Eimhín Naofa, and a boys' school, Scoil Náisiúnta Naomh Pheadar - in Monasterevin.

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The schools have done the right thing by agreeing to amalgamate. The principals, teaching staff, boards of management and parents should be rewarded for this by having the project relating to the new school fast-tracked. They intend to move onto the site of the current girls school where there is more space available. I ask that this project be included in the six-year construction plan that the Minister for Education and Skills is expected to announce in the coming days. It is essential that this project be included in that plan and that it be fast-tracked, with construction commencing in 2016.

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