Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this important Topical Issue matter for debate.

It has recently been announced that four school building projects have been delayed in the constituency of Dublin Bay South. It is absolutely essential that those building projects commence rapidly and without any further delay. Two of the schools are secondary schools that were established in the past five years, namely Sandymount Park Educate Together Secondary School and Harold's Cross Educate Together Secondary School. Both have been outstanding successes. Parents made the brave decision to send their children to these new schools. Those decisions have been well vindicated because they are excellent schools and at present many children who are leaving national school want to go to them. However, as the Minister of State will be aware, the establishment of a new secondary school requires the parents and prospective parents to see continuous progress. Whatever about the decision of parents to put their children into a new school in the year it is established, it is extremely important that after three or four years parents see that the proposed new school that was planned to be built is on the road to development. Part of the reason many parents sent their children to these two secondary schools is that they were promised that state-of-the-art secondary schools would be developed. That is why it is so disappointing there has been a delay in both of these schools.

Sandymount Park Educate Together Secondary School, ETSS, is presently housed in Roslyn Park. The building was not designed to accommodate a modern secondary school. It got planning permission for a new school in 2021. Harold's Cross ETSS is now operating in modular accommodation in the grounds of the old Harold's Cross greyhound track. It was given planning permission in 2022. Like Sandymount Park ETSS, it expected that development would commence later this year with the putting of the projects for both jobs out to tender. Unfortunately the parents, principals and teachers are extremely disappointed about the delay and they find it hard to understand why such important projects are being delayed.

I stated that four schools are affected. In addition to the two secondary schools I have mentioned, projects for Shellybanks Educate Together National School, ETNS, which is on the grounds of Roslyn Park, and for Harold's Cross ETNS have been delayed as a result of the decision of the Government not to proceed.

I listened to the Minister of State's earlier response in which she said it was a matter of timing. However, it is more than a matter of timing for schools, for parents and most importantly for children who have a limited number of years in secondary school. It is obvious that these developments will proceed. There is doubt and no question mark over them, but that raises the question of what the reason for the delay is. The Minister of State indicated that discussions would take place between the Department of Education and the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. I ask her to bring a message back to the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform that it is nonsensical to delay works on these schools. Education is an essential part of a child's development. As I stated earlier, it is essential for parents of children who are attending a new school to see progress. The difficulty is that if they do not see progress and if the delay continues for longer than people expect, it can have a negative and detrimental impact on the development of the school and on the school itself. I ask the Minister of State to prioritise this issue with the Department.

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy. I am glad he was in the Chamber when I was responding to the Topical Issue matter raised by Deputy Boyd Barrett. While they raised matters relating to different schools, there are similarities with respect to the reasons for the delays. I reassure the Deputy that I have been pestering various Departments and Ministers in order to get this matter resolved, as an advocate and as Minister of State with responsibility for special education. It is of great concern to me that this be resolved as soon as possible.

When I talk about it being a matter of timing, I do not say it in a glib way. I say it because, as the Deputy acknowledged, I have been given reassurances that this will be resolved. I am simply saying it is a matter of when that will happen. I hope and I understand it will happen in the early course of the foreseeable future. It will happen within weeks as opposed to months and it is important to say that here today.

All of the individual schools will be given an update about our engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when it has concluded, and obviously in the context of the national development plan. The Department will continue to liaise with the schools' patron bodies, especially around any interim accommodation needs, pending delivery of their permanent accommodation. We will provide an update to individual schools as soon as possible and the planning and building unit will also update patron bodies and school management bodies.

The projects are simply at a stage in the process where, in the context of capital funding pressures, it is necessary to place them on hold. However, as I said, I hope and I reassure the Deputy that all the projects that are on hold will be resolved in early course. I am aware of the fact that Sandymount Park ETSS and Shellybanks ETNS have had planning permission since January 2021 and that Harold's Cross ETSS and Harold's Cross ETNS are in modular accommodation and have had planning permission since 2022. We want them to go ahead to tender and construction as soon as possible. As the Deputy is aware, these schools are among a number of different projects that have completed an advanced stage of architectural planning and are due to proceed to tender stage, which is the next stage of the architectural planning. We hope that will be done as soon as possible. I will do everything I can to ensure I continue to liaise closely with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, the Taoiseach and the Department of Education to ensure this is done as soon as possible.

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for her response. I am sure she will agree it is regrettable that elected representatives have to raise such issues on the floor of the Dáil. It should be the case that these projects would proceed in accordance with the plans and expectations set out for parents and teachers. I was previously informed that part of the reason for the delay is the rising cost of building materials and inflation in the building sector and because prioritisation is being given to other capital projects in the Department. It has been indicated that lot 6, which includes ten building projects, is the lot that has been delayed. I am not sure of the detail of what other projects are in lot 6 but it is of concern to me that four school building projects in my constituency appear to have been delayed.

5 o’clock

The Minister of State is aware, coming from a neighbouring constituency, of the urgency and demands for educational facilities for schools in the area. I am not trying to say that in comparison with other parts of the country, but there are severe pressures on the education system in terms of secondary schools in the area I represent. I welcome the Minister of State's indication that she thinks the delay is going to be short and has indicated it will be a matter of weeks as opposed to months. I urge her however to ensure the people making this decision within the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform fully recognise there probably is no long-term or even short-term benefit to this delay. We all know work will commence and the schools will be built. I do not understand the reason for this short-term delay. Is it for the purpose of trying to ensure the capital budget for 2023 is not exceeded? If that is the case, it should be stated. We must ensure it gets up and running to the tender process as quickly as possible and certainly no later than quarter 1 of next year.

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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As I mentioned earlier, an extra €300 million in additional funding was given to the Department of Education in 2022. It was necessary to alleviate not just the normal pressures schools face but also accelerated delivery for children with special educational needs, which, as the Minister of State responsible for special education, I recognise as extremely important, the continued inflow of Ukrainian pupils and those seeking international protection, as well as the construction costs and inflation. More funding was required because there was an overrun at the Department for this year also. That is the real reason for it. In fairness, the Department has a strong track record. A total €4.4 billion was allocated in the National Development Plan 2021-2025. There are 1 million pupils and 100,000 staff. I am satisfied, based on conversations with the Minister and the Taoiseach, that this will be resolved in early course. These projects are on pause but will be resolved and will progress in due course.