Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank both of the Deputies for raising this issue. The Department's building unit works exceptionally hard, under incredible pressure, to deliver on probably the greatest school building programme that this country has ever undertaken. If it is considered that in the first quarter of 2011 we had the most births per capita in the history of this State, that demographic bubble is now working its way through the education system, and consequently, there is incredible pressure being placed upon the Department's building unit to deliver schools across this country, particularly in locations where we have seen significant population increases over the past five to ten years, Pelletstown being one such location.

The Department does not intend to cause anxiety or angst to the school community and has not intended to do so in the past. It is working in close partnership with the school community to deliver this school. In my earlier response, I confirmed that it is envisaged that the permanent accommodation will be completed in September 2020. The Department has also engaged in extensive negotiations with the owner of this privately owned site to ensure that the lease would be extended to 30 June 2020, thus allowing for the school community to remain exactly where it is.

If either of my two Oireachtas colleagues was sitting on this side of the House, he or she could not give any commitment over and above that on the certainty. There are issues that may arise through the planning process and nobody can foresee those. There is absolute commitment from the building unit, the Department and this Government to all that we can that is within our power, and I stress that we will do what is within our power, to ensure that this school is delivered on time and no further stress or anxiety shall be caused to the pupils, to the parents and to the teachers of that school.

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