Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There are clearly some serious questions that need asking about large international firms underbidding and winning contracts based on unsustainably low prices, which has lead to these sort of liquidations as well as pricing Irish firms out of the market. However, that is for another day.

I wish to specifically draw the attention of the Minister to the two schools in Bray in Wicklow, namely, St. Philomena's primary school and Coláiste Raíthín. I attended a meeting last night in the school. To say that the students, parents and teachers are angry, frustrated and exasperated is an understatement. They were meant to move in back in September. The school increased the student numbers, hired new staff and increased the subjects. Then they were told it would be ready in October, November and December. The principal relayed to the meeting last night that he was given a guarantee that he and his team would be in by the end of January. Now we have what happened.

The current school is not fit for purpose. I wish to put on record what one of the students said last night. She said that the students are sick of sitting in cold rooms getting chest infections and seeing mould on the wall. That is what they want to move out of.

I have spoken to commercial insolvency experts on this matter. They gave me their view based on the assumption that the school has been built properly. We know it is finished, ready and that it simply needs certification. Their view was that it should be no more than six weeks from the liquidation event of Carillion to the matter being wrapped up and students and staff being in the school. We are two weeks into that process.

What I would like to hear from the Minister tonight is that this is under control; that the contracts were written in such a way that foresaw these types of events; and that the Minister is working with the main contractor and the sub-contractors, if necessary, to get certification as well as with Carillion and the liquidator. The parents, teachers and students want to know that by the end of February they will be in their school. When can the Minister tell the students, staff and parents of St. Philomena's primary school and Coláiste Raíthín that they will be in their new schools?

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