John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Unfortunately, that does not provide the answers, certainty or reassurance for the teachers, pupils and parents at North Wicklow Educate Together post-primary school. They arrived at Leinster House today to hand in a letter and hoped to meet the Minister for Education and Skills. Instead they met somebody from his office and handed in the letter, but the principal has asked to meet the Minister. I hope that meeting will be arranged.

The reply from the Minister does not contain answers and provides no certainty whatsoever. There is a crisis pending, but all I have heard are aspirations to engage with the vendors. There is a High Court agreement and must be vacant possession of the school premises on 30 April next year. There is a simple solution which I have suggested to the Minister as a logical step. There are problems with the site identified on Novara Road by the Department and the previous chief executive officer of Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board. The solution is to purchase the site where the school is currently temporarily based. The building would need to be completely demolished and rebuilt as a purpose-built school, but there is ample space to accommodate the school, whether with prefabs or whatever else, on a temporary basis while the building is constructed. It would be logical to engage with the vendor, with a view to purchasing the site. It would be a win-win for everyone.

Is it acceptable or suitable for a Minister to respond by suggesting alternative arrangements will be put in place for junior certificate students to sit examinations in hotels or community halls? It is a serious abdication of his responsibility. The Department and the Minister are sleepwalking us into a crisis. We need clarity, rather than aspirations. Unfortunately, the answer did not provide it.

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