Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister of State on his new role, but I am disappointed that the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, is not here to answer in respect of the case of the Holy Family school, as it is one of serious concern. It really upsets me, as it does the families and staff of the Holy Family school in Cootehill, County Cavan, who are watching tonight's discussions, to be here yet again discussing the construction, or lack thereof, at the Holy Family school. We need action, not excuses. There are 168 students with special needs from across counties Cavan and Monaghan attending this school. It is the only school of its type in the area. It provides much needed education for pupils and students with disabilities, but currently they are in substandard learning and working conditions. While the school continues to do exemplary work, it simply does not have the proper facilities or resources to cater for all of the pupils' critical needs. These students have everything stacked against them in life and it is simply not fair to expect them, their teachers or their parents to continue to work in the current facility. The project to provide additional permanent accommodation must be progressed without any further delays for the sake of the children, the parents and the staff.

In 2015, the Department of Education and Skills gave the project relating to the Holy Family school in Cootehill full approval for funding. However, there have been many delays and now, in 2017, there is still no new school. I understand that the school submitted the relevant documentation on the stage 2b submission to the Department in April only to be notified five weeks later that it is not in the right order. Is this Government seriously delaying the construction because the information the Department requires is not in the preferred order?

As part of the new build, the school and the prefabs will have to be moved to temporary accommodation, the site of which was secured in June 2016. The Department of Education and Skills has been paying rent for that site for the past 12 months but nothing has happened. Planning permission for the school was granted in 2013 but, to date, it has not been able to proceed. If this continues, the school will have to get an extension of the planning permission. Children are suffering. Their safety, health and education are at risk each and every day that the construction is postponed. Being the only school of its type in counties Cavan and Monaghan, the Holy Family school is and should be a high priority as it accommodates a significant number of students with disabilities. In September, the school will have 48 children with moderate disabilities, 13 with multiple disabilities, 39 with severe and profound disabilities, and 68 with autism spectrum disorder, ASD.

During the past 15 years - it has taken this long to get through the planning process - the number of students in the school has increased. This means trying to accommodate more pupils in already cramped conditions. In 2013, the school had 129 pupils enrolled; now it is up to 168. The school has seen an increase of 11 staff members in the same years. Despite this growth, the school facilities remain in substandard condition and it is completely inadequate as an educational facility. The Holy Family school main building was opened in 1973 and it is really starting to show its age. There are leaks in many of the junior classrooms, the roof is constantly being patched up, some of the ceilings are leaking and the walls are black. There are wooden laths holding up the ceiling and mould growing down the walls. The toilets, bathing area and plumbing system are creaking at the seams. Besides this, there are inadequate parking facilities, forcing the staff to park on the road outside the homes of the neighbouring houses, causing chaos.

Enough is enough. We need a commitment and a guarantee right here right now from the Minister of State as to when the work will commence. Stop the bureaucratic nonsense that files are not in the preferred order.

See this speech in context