Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth. This gives me the opportunity to outline to the Dáil the current position regarding the proposed amalgamation of Ringaskiddy Lower National School and Shanbally National School in County Cork.

This project is planned to be delivered as part of phase 2 of the Department’s Adapt 4 programme. That programme uses a professional external programme manager to co-ordinate and drive the integrated project team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of architectural planning, to tender and construction. This programme is being led by integrated project teams consisting of highly skilled and experienced design professionals, architects, engineers, project managers, quantity surveyors and various other consultants to deliver the projects.

The project manager for this particular project was appointed in the third quarter of 2023 and is in the process of preparing documentation for the tender process for the appointment of integrated project teams for the phase 2 bundle of projects. The brief for the project is to provide a new 16-classroom primary school with four classrooms for pupils with special educational needs. The new school is expected to be located on a 6.068 acre site which is currently privately owned but is anticipated to be transferred into the ownership of Cork Diocesan Trust. Currently the two national schools are located off site, in two separate locations where they will remain until the new school building is completed.

From the account given by the Deputy today, it sounds like the conditions the students and staff are operating in are not satisfactory. I will pass that on to the Minister and ask that it be taken into consideration as the plan is progressed with urgency.

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