James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Based on figures I sourced locally, we are still facing a two-year delay. I thank the Minister for his reply but he does not appear to have given a date or detailed timeline for the new build. It may be a case of "once bitten, twice shy" but we need some clarity and assurances on the new timeframe to allow the parents, school community and school management to begin to plan and make the necessary arrangements. What supports will be given by the Department to the schools to manage the accommodation for the next 18 months, two years or three years? What is the timeline? As I said, this is already a crisis.

Given that this is the largest schools building project in the history of the State, how hands-on has the Department been? How hands-on does it intend to be? Have lessons been learned? How is it possible that a company entering examinership in the midst of such a large, critical State project did not trigger contingency planning immediately? In the private sector, one would imagine it would happen immediately. I fail to understand how it was possible.

I asked what supports will be provided. More than anything, we need assurance given to the school community, town, students and parents that this will be taken in hand, that the Minister will be hands-on in managing it, and that the Department will take it under its remit to ensure there are no further delays. After ten years, and three tenders - third time lucky - we cannot afford to slip again. Will the Minister commit to meeting interested parties, as needed, to give those assurances and to involve himself personally in this project as it proceeds to completion, as I hope it will? Those assurances, after ten years of delay and disarray, are badly needed and extremely important for the town of Maynooth.

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