Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Let us be very clear about the process. The process was set out very clearly in the immediate aftermath of Grenfell, which I believe happened in June 2017. These assessments in the fourth quarter of 2017 included 30 schools built by WBS because they were showing weaknesses in other assessments, along with another 25 schools. That assessment was completed in August of this year. A team and a work plan had to be put in place. I arrived in my job on a Tuesday and got the first report that there was going to be a wall opened in Ardgillan on Thursday afternoon. I got a call at 3 p.m. on Friday to say that there was structural issue with Ardgillan. Obviously there was then concern around all the WBS schools. We are working now. I am working on the information I was given on a Friday at 3 p.m. My first concern was the safety of the students. The Deputy should also remember that once this issue came into the public domain, there was a lot of concern around continuity of education. That is why we set up the team.

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