Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Let me reassure the Minister that I and everybody else in opposition will support him in seeking extra resources to build and develop the schools that we need. There is no higher priority because children only get one shot at education.

Many of families with three and four children have been involved with this school for a long period. It is a great school, with a great reputation. I very much welcome the Minister's reassurance that this school is fully included on the list. Following a successful meeting with the Minister last week involving a deputation including the board of management at the school and a number of Deputies - for which I thank the Minister - significant progress has been made with the Department.

I want the Minister to reiterate the statement he made last week that this project is back on track and that the new building will be constructed as quickly as possible. It was included last year - rightly and to great celebration by everybody - in the 2016-2021 programme. We had expected work to commence during the summer. We now have good progress made in sorting out some of the technical issues which caused a problem. The Minister was helpful in that regard and I thank him for it. However, I want to know that we will see this project, which will take two years to complete and which will cost €10.5 million, proceed. I want the Minister to confirm what he indicated last week, namely, that it is absolutely back on track to be built.

See this speech in context