Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The new school committed to in respect of St. Paul's, Monasterevin, has seen plenty of delays in the past, not all of which were the Department's fault. We are united in getting that school delivered as quickly as possible. It is badly needed. Currently, pupils are travelling from Monasterevin to different towns because there is not enough capacity in St. Paul's and the conditions that everyone there must deal with are inadequate. The extensions to which the Minister referred are wholly necessary and those in Athy Community College, Cross and Passion Secondary School, Kilcullen and St Conleth's, Newbridge should be online in the autumn. Patrician College badly needs its extension. All these extensions need to be completed quickly and I ask that consideration be given to including extensions at the start of their planning process in the rapid build scheme. When this additional capacity is delivered, there still will be pressure on spaces in schools. There are significant plans for growth in south Kildare in Project Ireland 2040.

The Department must accept that there will be ongoing pressure for spaces into the future, even with the promised extensions.

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