Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)

There is a meeting taking place today with the school and school patrons to try to resolve the issue. Without putting words in anybody's mouth, I know the school authorities and the Department have been in contact and they will have a meeting today. Let us see what happens with that. I would be only too delighted to bring back any information to the Deputies by email or otherwise when we have that information to hand. I accept the seriousness of the issue the Deputies have raised, and there are a number of other issues across Dublin 15 regarding school places and school classes.

There is one thing that I would ask the Deputies. The new circular has set 1 October 2025 as the date for the 2026 school year. I ask the Deputies to get the message out there that we need the information early in the school year in order to plan properly, so we are not in a situation next year where we are heading into the school holidays and do not have places. We need the information earlier. All of the Deputies are working on the ground and know the families. I ask them to get the message out there that the NCSE has to be notified of the information early so we can carry out proper planning and ensure that families are not in a stressful position.

To go back to the issue of St. Mochta’s, a meeting is taking place today. I give an undertaking that, subsequent to that meeting, we will keep all the Deputies informed of how things are progressing.

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