Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has covered a broad range of issues. I want to clear up the issue about the clerk of works. The clerk of works is involved on a permanent basis on each major build, be it a major extension or a major new school building, and that has been in place since 2017. That has acted with respect to, and added further, oversight. When examining this review, we have to take account of what that impact has been.

The Deputy mentioned the Department officials. The only thing I can say about them is that in the two weeks I have been in the Department they have shown versatility in being able to deal with a major crisis, in responding to it and in listening to suggestions I made, and I received suggestions from colleagues in this House and from people within the building trade. I noted their adaptability in listening to those suggestions. I commend to the team that put this plan together. Potentially 16,000 students were going to be decanted. That was the issue we faced on the Friday the walls were opened in the Ardgillan school, which posed a potential hazard. We were thinking about decanting students to other schools. It was a major issue but the officials demonstrated a great level of versatility and foresight in knowing what to do in that situation.

I hope the review will bring together all the information, suggestions and proposals to ensure we learn from the mistakes and start building trust again with school communities. Those 42 school communities would have been actively involved in the build up to those schools, which are part of their communities. I appreciate the buy-in they have had in that process but now they have had to face this issue of trust, and of trusting the people at every single level. We, as politicians, have to be trusted in terms of opening schools on the basis of understanding that the cavity walls are done and that the fire-proofing is in place to make sure the firewalls are protected. All that is based on an understanding but the more oversight we can put in place the better. Obviously, however, that is resource dependent and those will be decisions that will have to be made.

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