Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will highlight in the Minister's response the mention of a review that is necessary and the ongoing communication between the design team and the Department. That is not good enough and I must make a political charge. It appears, in the case of this and many other schools, that there is deliberate procrastination at all stages.

The Minister refers to funding and capital expenditure. Bringing the project to a stage at which the Minister can go to tender with it will not cost anything. The school has 447 pupils, of whom 157, or 35%, are permanently based in prefabs. They will have passed through the system before we receive the necessary approval. There is running water in only four classrooms. The main building was built in 1958 and extended later. The planning period for the new school had expired and we had to seek a further duration of five years. I am worried because we can do this only once. Therefore, I implore the Minister to issue a political directive to the Department to move on the project as quickly as possible to allow it to go tender later this year.

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