Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. He specified four schools. He mentioned Greystones Community College, which is to receive a new building. That is very welcome and we are really looking forward to it. No date as to when it will be delivered is provided in his response. My understanding is that it is to be in 2025, but that is assuming everything goes well. From experience, it tends not to.

On St. David's Holy Faith Secondary School, yes, it is a fantastic facility. Lots of investment has gone into it. My understanding is that it has not resulted in any additional places within that school. They are offering the same number of places in 2023 as they will be offering for 2024.

On Temple Carrig Secondary School, the Minister of State said that the classrooms are now on site and the programme is nearing completion. That school was built for 750 pupils and it currently has 950 pupils in it. I know because my children go there. They have had to teach their children in corridors in that school. Those portacabins only deal with the increased number of pupils the school has taken in over a number of years. They will not allow the school to take on any additional pupils and as a result, Temple Carrig is offering less places for 2024. It is also waiting for a permanent extension, and it is unfortunate that the Minister of State has not provided any details for timelines for that. It is at stage 1 but it has been at stage 1 for quite some time.

Regarding Coláiste Chraobh Abhann, CCA in Kilcoole, there is a project planned for that. Again, it is currently at stage 2B, with no further information. We have no dates, no timelines and no security for parents or for the schools that the facilities will be available for them. However, I take comfort from the fact that the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, has said that all children in the Greystones planning area will receive a first year place. Can the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, please pass this onto the Minister, Deputy Foley: please get the Department to work very closely with the schools in the area, so that this is sorted out as soon as possible. What we do not want to have is parents worrying for months, and solutions being cobbled together at the last minute. I ask that we please avoid that stress for parents and the school community.

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