Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this topic for debate.

To say that Gaelscoil Phádraig in Ballybrack has had a raw deal would be a major understatement. It has been in existence for 20 years. In that time it has been in four different temporary locations. Most of that time, and currently, it has been on a 0.7 acre site with prefabricated buildings, many of which are over 15 years old, some of which have recently required emergency repairs. The contractor repairing them cannot guarantee those repairs for any period. Fifth and sixth classes, and first and second classes are thrown together. It has a tiny play area which because it has no assembly hall has to double up for use for school concerts and assemblies. The conditions are completely unacceptable. The classrooms are below the recommended size, yet this school was promised in 2005 that it would be moved to a permanent location in the nearby Archbishop McQuaid school. Ten years on and 20 years after it was set up, it is still in these completely unacceptable conditions.

The school wants to hear from the Minister of State today that the coming year will be its last year in these temporary conditions. It is shameful that it has been left there so long. It cannot abide these conditions.

At this stage the parents, teachers and students wonder what they did wrong, that they were allowed to persist in these completely unsuitable conditions. This is a disadvantaged area but despite having applied for Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, status Gaelscoil Phádraig did not get that, although all the children come from the same area as children in other schools given DEIS status. The Minister of State might also consider that. They have been short-changed for 20 years. It is just not good enough. The Taoiseach talked earlier about the priority he gives to investing in the future, education, upskilling our citizens and so on. How the hell can we do any of that or how can that mean anything if we leave our kids in these conditions for 20 years? That is the commitment they want. They really want some hope because they have had enough and are at the end of their tether.

The Minister of State will probably tell us that the school has been allocated a new emergency prefab. It is even frightened of getting that because it thinks that may be an excuse to put it on the long finger again and it points out that will further infringe on the tiny play area it has and crowd the school out even further. It may have to put up with it for another year but it wants a guarantee this is the last year and that it will be in the school that was allocated ten years ago, which sits less than a quarter of a mile away, and that the new buildings the special school currently in that building requires will be completed by then, and Gaelscoil Phádraig can have the school it should have had ten years ago.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy O'Sullivan, and I apologise that she was not able to take it.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity to outline to the House the current position regarding the accommodation needs of Gaelscoil Phádraig, Ballybrack.

The school is currently located in prefabricated accommodation on a site owned by Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown County Council in Ballybrack. The Deputy said it has been there for 20 years. I take his word for that; I did not realise it was that long although I knew it was a long time. It is agreed that the accommodation is totally unsatisfactory. The Deputy is also aware that it is intended that the school will relocate to a premises currently occupied by Ballyowen Meadows Special School pending the construction of a new school building for Ballyowen Meadows.

The major building project for Ballyowen Meadows Special School is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. During the course of the project, an appeal was made to An Bord Pleanála regarding the decision to grant planning permission for the Ballyowen Meadows building project. I cannot explain the 20 year delay. I can only say the last part of the delay was caused by the appeal to An Bord Pleanála. This contributed to some delay with the project. In February 2015, An Bord Pleanála upheld the decision to grant planning permission and I am pleased to say the building project is now progressing as fast as possible.

Specifically, the school's design team is preparing the stage 2(b) detailed design documentation for submission to the Department for review and approval. Assuming no issues arise in the review of the stage 2(b) submission, the project will then be authorised to proceed to tender, with a view to commencing construction late this year, 2015, or early 2016. I cannot say how quickly it will be built, hopefully it will get a good builder but it certainly is the plan to start construction at the back end of this year or early next year. That is the best I can give the Deputy at this stage. I know he wanted a guarantee that it would be in for September 2016. That might be a bit tight. It depends on the construction but the construction should start at the end of this year or early 2016.

Once the building project for Ballyowen Meadows School is complete, the vacated building will become available for Gaelscoil Phádraig. It will not be possible for Ballyowen Meadows to vacate the building until its new school is constructed. The Deputy understands that and is not asking for that. He is right, in the meantime, the Department has sanctioned a temporary mainstream classroom to Gaelscoil Phádraig for September 2015 to assist with its accommodation needs. I understand from the Deputy that will cause difficulties in terms of space but we also have to have accommodation for the students. The Deputy is looking for a guarantee and the start of construction is probably the best we can give and it looks like that should happen at the back end of this year.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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There is no news there for Gaelschoil Phádraig. It is aware of all that the Minister of State said. This is the fear, that it will extend beyond this year. The situation has got progressively worse for it after a 20 year saga of moving from one place to another. It was in one room without proper windows, then it had two classrooms in another school, then it had to be bussed to another area, now it has been in the prefabs for years. These prefabs are way beyond their sell-by date and are completely unsuitable. The numbers have increased by 26 this year so there will be more overcrowding. It had to hold last year's school concert in the playground. That is the only place it can hold assembly as well. It is not acceptable. Of course it does not want to be played off against a special school, which also needs to be housed. For this to have gone on for this long is crazy. After all it has gone through, the Department should be able to say it will get it come hell or high water by September 2016.

It would not be fair or right for this to drag on for another year thereafter. Gaelscoil Phádraig is asking the Department to recognise that it has been wronged, not only by this Government but by its predecessors over 20 years. The school has been short-changed and is asking that special care and attention are shown and an effort is made to ensure the new building is completed by the end of 2016. This could be achieved with determination. That is the appeal being made by the school.

I also ask that the Department consider the DEIS status of Gaelscoil Phádraig, which will, I understand, apply for disadvantaged status again this year. There is no reason for the school's failure to secure DEIS status given that other schools with students from the same catchment area have such status. Gaelscoil Phádraig has been short-changed at two levels and the Government must recognise the wrongs done to it by showing fairness to the children in the school.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I understand the frustration felt by Deputy Boyd Barrett and students at Gaelscoil Phádraig having been educated in a prefabricated building for four years. This type of building tends to be too hot in summer and too cold in winter and I do not blame the pupils of the school for wanting to get out of prefabs.

The building project is progressing. I am not aware of any alternative that would shorten the process, nor did the Deputy suggest one. I cannot answer for 20 years of history as I have not been in this position for that long. It is safe to say, however, that the Department will progress this project as fast as it possibly can. This is a priority project to which we are committed. If everything goes to plan, the project will go to tender in the next couple of months and building will start either before Christmas or early in 2016. There is no point stating a school will be completed in a seven or eight months because we must not compromise the construction process. For this reason, it will probably be late 2016 or early 2017 before pupils transfer to the new building. That is the best option available.

The building project is proceeding and a new school will be built. The Deputy has asked that everything be done to ensure the school is completed as quickly as possible and I assure him that will be the case. The school will be built and when the special needs school moves into it, a building will be freed up for Scoil Phádraig. I do not expect the project to be delayed at this stage. I cannot answer for the previous planning history, the role of An Bord Pleanála and so forth; I can only explain what occurred in recent years. The project is moving ahead and the Department has a strong commitment to ensure it is completed as quickly as possible. Officials will do everything they can and I hope others on the ground will do likewise.