Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising the matter. I assure them that the building project for St. Mochta's national school was included in the six-year programme announced on 17 November 2015 to progress. It is one of the 67 projects that were announced in 2016 to be part of the 2016 programme. Of course the commencement of a programme does not mean that it will actually be constructed until it is released to tender. That is the process that we have to complete.

As I think the Deputies have outlined, the design team was appointed a considerable time ago - back in 2010 - and the board of management was authorised to commence architectural planning. At that stage, it was not included in the programme announced in 2012 but it was subsequently added in 2015. It is now at an advanced stage of architectural planning, so it is proceeding to complete the planning stage. All statutory approvals have been obtained, tender documents have been prepared and the Department has approved the stage 2B submission.

As Deputy Coppinger recognised, I have met principal, the chairman of the board and the patron.

There are issues that need to be finalised on some of the fee elements of the project, including a further submission by the design team on its request for a fee uplift that would have to approved in accordance with the requirements set out for every project. My Department is working with the team to advance that matter.

On the release of the project to tender, we have a lot of commitments in hand. The previous Minister released projects to tender in April, but I have not been in a position as of yet to release new projects to tender. However, I recognise the importance of this school and I am working with my officials on the timing of existing projects in the programme and their possible release to tender. I am seeking to obtain additional resources to accelerate these projects. I continue to work to try to deliver the St. Mochta's national school project at the earliest possible time. The matter will receive considerable attention from me in the coming months.

I can assure Deputy Joan Burton that there is no diminution of my commitment and that of the Department to the completion of building projects. We will have a considerably larger budget for the coming year than was provided this time last year, which is a recognition that there are pressing needs across the system, on which we are attempting to deliver. There is no doubt that the community feels very let down by the lengthy delay in delivering the project. Some of the reasons for the delay were beyond anyone's control. Nonetheless, I fully understand the frustration of parents whose children are in prefabs, many of which have been in place for a lengthy period. There is understandable frustration among the school staff and parents, but I assure the Deputies that I am working to accelerate the project.

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