Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The situation is that there was much discussion about this issue, with parents being on to all of us last year. I was engaging with the board of management at that time, and with Department officials as well. On 2 September 2022, an agreement was completed regarding this project happening. The school was then told to go about doing it. It did that and appointed a design team to do the work. It is currently drawing up plans. As I understand it, this work will not require planning permission. Again, we will wait to see what the design team says, because it is an internal reconfiguration. This is happening. The design team will certainly get this work done and submitted. It was appointed some months ago now and it will put its submission into the Department.

I am now in the Department of Education, as Minister of State with special responsibility for physical education, as well as sport. I will certainly be working closely with officials to ensure there is no delay on our side because I know the importance of this project in Ratoath, as does, to be fair to its members, the board of management of Ratoath junior school as well. They are absolutely committed to this project, but they do have to go through certain procedures. I do not think it has been particularly long since September, although I am as impatient as everybody else for this project to be finished and for our children to have spaces in their local area, which has always been a key priority of the Government and must be a key priority for all of us.

See this speech in context