Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for selecting this urgent issue. I also thank the Minister for his attendance to discuss the delay in delivering the Holy Family national school in Mullingar. This is the third time I have raised this issue in the House. I have tabled dozens of parliamentary questions and attended numerous meetings going as far back as 2008. This week we were given a revised completion date for the ninth time. That school remains 82% complete on a site that is under-resourced. Subcontractors are walking off the site and windows are being removed. We have all this uncertainty and we are no further along. It is infuriating for staff, parents and everyone involved in the school.

There are 30 staff and 332 pupils from 276 families in a building constructed as a two-teacher school in 1942 with no ancillary services. That is what we are presiding over now in the 21st century. The staff are operating over three campuses: St. Loman's; the 1942 school; and St. Etchen's in Kinnegad. The 42 children just enrolled are spread over those three sites. Some of the most vulnerable children need early intervention and need a social setting that is secure and certain. We need clarity and certainty as to when the school can be delivered and whether the current contractor has the capacity to deliver the school. This cannot continue any longer.

We have had nine completion dates. The parish will carry out its 2020 enrolment for new students in January. The principal and staff will be asked to take on more students despite the situation that currently pertains.

There is one common denominator. I have seen replies to parliamentary questions about schools elsewhere in the country involving this contractor. There are persistent issues and he is consistently late. Many people have criticised the local authority. The local authority is not involved in the service delivery or project management of those other sites. There is a common denominator here.

The Minister needs to do everything he can. I acknowledge he has been exceptionally helpful. He visited the site and is trying to do everything in his power. We need to get a certain date that will be adhered to. If capacity is not there or for some other reason that date cannot be met, action needs to be taken. I know there is criticism in the community that this action should have been taken given that we have received nine different completion dates. The staff and principal in the school are unsung heroes and deserve a medal. The parents are experiencing manifest frustration. They have no certainty over the completion date, just a site that is 82% complete.

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