Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister mentioned the access road, which we are well aware of, but that is no longer an issue. The problem now is that it has been reported quite widely that the company which is lowest in the tender process and was about to be given the contract has been placed in examinership. It is being said that the next step will be to ask that company to remove itself from the process to allow the Department and the ETB to engage with whoever is next in line in the tender process. This is the crux of the matter. We have to get over this hurdle as quickly as possible.

The media reports on the appointment of a contractor to the Sammon Group stated that other parties offered support to the Sammon Group as part of the examinership proposal to the High Court. Suffice to say that is going on at one level while at ground level we have to deal with the reality that pupils have to try to learn, and teachers and managers have to try to operate, in exceptionally sub-standard conditions. Will the Minister state that he realises how long this has dragged on and commit to prioritising it within the Department's building unit in Tullamore? It has dragged on for too long on many levels. On behalf of the community and the parents' association of Coláiste Chiaráin I invite the Minister to visit the school when he is next in the area. It will make a lasting impression on him to see the conditions the pupils and staff have to work in.

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