Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is spot on. In 2017 the Department gave approval which was welcome. However, part of the planning conditions required an upgrade to the sewage-treatment facility. Obviously in order to meet the planning conditions the school had to go back and seek additional works. It also needed to address a leaking flat roof for which it got approval. The Department advised the school to put that in as part of the overall tender.

The school sought some additional space, an extra special educational room, an increase in the library space and the secretarial office. However, the board of management and the parents' council are prepared to bear those costs. In reality there are no additional cost implications on the Department. The school is hoping this can be accelerated. It is ready to go to tender. As the Minister knows, going on eTenders takes a month, followed by the wait to get the contractor in place. The school needs to be in a position to commence the works early next year so that when the school enrolment increases in the next school year, it will be able to facilitate that increase. I ask the Minister to accelerate the process.

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