Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Following a very long and intensive lobbying campaign by South Kildare Educate Together, parents in the community and public representatives, including myself, last November the very welcome news was announced that a new 1,000 pupil school would be established in the Curragh, Kildare, Newbridge area. The proposed school would take in the existing ETB school at the Curragh and discussions would commence with Educate Together on joint patronage of a newly built school. This is what campaigners had sought because there are two Educate Together primary schools in the area, in Newbridge and Kildare. The proposed amalgamation was really good news. It was hoped that the new school would accommodate increasing numbers of people living in the area, both now and into the future. However, I am absolutely frustrated by the responses I have received from the Department of Education and Skills to questions regarding the progress that has been made to date on securing a site for the new school building. I am also frustrated by responses to my queries regarding the timelines for site acquisition, construction and opening the new school. We are already six months into 2019 and it seems as if nothing as been done since the announcement in late 2018.

At this point in time, parents are incredibly frustrated. In Newbridge, I am inundated with parents coming to me who have no school place for their children this year, the following year or the year after that. St. Conleth’s community school, the Patrician boys primary schools and the convent secondary school are full for September of this year and for the following year, and they have waiting lists. We are facing a crisis at this point in time.

I cannot understand why we are not getting any information. I have also asked for details of correspondence between the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Defence because it was intimated there was the possibility of the Department of Defence providing a site within the Curragh area for this proposed school. At this stage it is a real concern for parents and the school community in the existing school. What assurances can the Minister give me today for the concerned parents and school community? We are not getting any updates on the progress being made in securing a new site. I have put forward suggestions. I have gone out and looked at potential sites and forwarded that information to the Department but I have not received a response. We cannot afford to let so much time go by. The Minister will be aware of the delays to St. Paul's school project in Monasterevin, which has not helped matters. Children from Kildare are looking for school places in Laois and in nearby counties. What assurances can the Minister give to the parents who find themselves in this situation?

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