Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Durkan for sharing this Topical Issue with the north Kildare Teachtaí Dála. We had a meeting on Monday evening with the principals and representatives from St. Raphael's Special School, Celbridge Community School and St. Patrick's National School. They have located a site. I am anxious to assist these schools, which go above and beyond every single day, but especially in the past six months with Covid. In the case of St. Raphael's, some of our most vulnerable and important citizens receive their education there. The school at the moment is grossly neglected and the buildings have certainly seen better days, decades ago, but they still provide a magnificent service. A new school is needed.

The school gave us a great presentation the other night outlining its needs and plans. A site has been located but road access is a main impediment. We have an Oireachtas Members meeting with Kildare County Council tomorrow morning and we will certainly try to bring it up. I urge the Minister of State, and everybody involved, to make this happen, to heed the schools and to provide the services that are desperately needed in terms of vital infrastructure and otherwise. We are blessed in Kildare to have school principals with such skill, devotion and vision and, above all else, the heart they need to provide great school communities for the wider community. It is a privilege to represent them.

We take a census every few years. When I was a councillor on Kildare County Council, Maynooth University was involved in the All-Island Research Observatory census data. We know that where new houses are built, children come next. It would be great if we could plan ahead and make sure children do not have to go to school in deplorable conditions. I hope we can work this out.

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