Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to be clear; the planning system is the planning system. In the first instance, however, I totally reject the Deputy's view in terms of the Department of Education and its delivery of school buildings and knowledge of planning. The Department has an extremely strong record of delivery in terms of school buildings. More than 360 school building projects were at construction during 2022. That is a phenomenal investment by the Department. That includes brand new schools, of which there are more than 50. The Department also has an allocation of €4.4 billion to facilitate delivery during the 2021 to 2025 school period.

Specifically with regard to Gaelscoil Laighean, the application for the Mount Anville site was lodged in June 2022. Planning was granted on 16 September 2022, with conditions. The Department's design team responded to the council on these conditions on 5 October and is currently liaising with the local authority to finalise and agree all pre-commencement conditions to allow the building contractor to commence the work on site. The contractor has also been appointed.

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