Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am raising the issue, with Deputy Jack Chambers, of what has been happening, or rather not happening, in respect of Pelletstown Educate Together national school.

The parents, children and staff are undergoing trials and tribulations because the Government has failed, in its third year in office, to build the permanent school. There was a threat that the school would be moved to different temporary accommodation yet again. In the context of the recent elections, that threat was removed some days ago. Obviously, the parents are relieved. However, they do not intend to allow their children to be bussed between locations or allocated further temporary accommodation. The school is now in its fourth year of existence. A temporary site has been identified. The resolution arrived at is that which Deputy Jack Chambers and I suggested, namely, to ensure the developers who owned the site would extend the lease into the middle of next year. That has now been confirmed. However, I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, to confirm that the school will not be asked to move premises again, either in whole or in part, until such time as the permanent school building has been provided. I ask him to confirm the stage that arrangements with Dublin City Council regarding the planning for permanent school site have reached. When can we expect to see diggers on site, as we have now been promised numerous times, to commence the permanent accommodation? The school does not need any further temporary moves, it needs a permanent home to carry on the work of educating the children by the dedicated staff and the work of the dedicated parents of the school community which is a vibrant place for learning.

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