Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I refer to a number of pressing issues relating to capital investment in schools in my constituency both in the provision of new buildings and upgrading of existing buildings. I commend the Department on the continuous roll-out of hot meals and free books. I welcome the commitment in the programme for Government to increased facilities for children with additional needs by establishing either new special schools or special educational classes to ensure children with additional needs get the support and resources they deserve.

I recently attended the opening of Gorey Hill Special School. It is an incredible facility and a textbook example of what is needed in special schools. It simply ticks every box. It has wonderful staff, satisfied parents and, most importantly, happy children being taught in a caring, state-of-the-art facility. Credit must go the drivers behind the school. I must mention Karina Daly and all the team at the Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board, WWETB, the school principal, Kerrie Wickham, the deputy principal, Aileen Roche, and the project manager, Padraic Flood, whose young son has been enrolled in the school. It was a joy to behold the pride on Padraic's face that day.

While this is a very welcome development and a shining example of what can be done in our educational system, following site visits I have questions regarding numerous current capital projects in my constituency that are either experiencing a stalemate in progress or are struggling to operate with the facilities available to them. In the case of Coláiste Bhríde, for example, plans are approved for a wonderful new school but there is currently no commitment to include work on a sports pitch. With more than 1,000 students, the exclusion of a functional pitch for outdoor sports would be a huge oversight. The Minister took time out to visit Gorey Community School. It is the largest school in Gorey but it has a serious problem with leaks throughout the building. The roof is a complete mess, posing a serious health and safety problem for pupils and staff. The school building project was given approval in 2022 but it has been delayed. Now, under emergency works, it has a quotation for €200,000. Why would the Department go down that route when there is already approval to have the roof fully replaced?

Another matter of concern is that we must support the upgrading of existing schools and facilities, whether they are in Kilmuckridge, Monaseed, Kilcommon National School or the development of a new all-weather pitch in St. Mary's College in Arklow. St. John's primary school in Arklow, which is categorised as a DEIS school, has no indoor PE or general-purpose hall. The management has been told the school's application for a PE hall will not be considered under the current funding module as the focus now is on providing classroom space. We need to give pride to DEIS schools. We must provide the best opportunities for each of these students. Gorey Educate Together school is providing an excellent educational service in an ever-expanding town but we need to see progress on the new school building.

It is essential that in the case of all approvals for new schools, we expedite the building process. Just as important is that existing schools must not be left behind in terms of their facilities. We must ensure all children get the education they deserve in the best possible environment we can offer.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Education, to outline to the Dáil the current position in relation to the multiple projects specified in the Deputy’s request, namely, Coláiste Bhríde in Carnew, Gorey Community School, St. John's senior primary school in Arklow and Bunclody Community College.

Since 2020, the Department has invested more than €5.7 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,150 school building projects. Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in the coming months, investments by the Department of Education are adding more than 550,000 sq. m of new and modernised capacity to our school estate. The length of time a project takes to deliver depends on several factors, including scale and complexity, and is subject to the time it takes to progress through the various design stages and the statutory approval process.

The Coláiste Bhríde project has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects. The project will provide a new build replacement school for a long-term projected enrolment of 1,000 pupils, including a four-class special educational needs base. The project is currently in the final stages of stage 2b, which is the post-planning process, and once this stage has been finalised and approved, the next stage is onwards to tendering and construction. The National Development Finance Agency will engage directly with the school authorities to keep them informed of the progress.

The Gorey Community School project was devolved to the school authority for delivery as part of the additional school accommodation scheme. The project brief will deliver five general classrooms, four special educational training rooms, one art room, one home economics room, one science room with preparation area and ancillary area. The project is currently at stage 1, which is early design, and the addendum report has been received by the Department and is currently under review. Once this review has been completed, the Department will contact the school authorities and advise on the next steps to progress this much-needed project.

St. John's senior primary school submitted an application for funding under the emergency works scheme for external environment works to its playground. The emergency works scheme operates on the basis of a minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation and on this basis, the school was advised to submit a revised scope of works with an accompanying itemised cost breakdown. Once this has been received, the emergency works scheme team will review the revised application and will engage further with the school as appropriate. The emergency works scheme team is aware of the urgent nature of the works required and will keep the school informed throughout the progress.

The Bunclody Community College project has been devolved for delivery to Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board to provide a new extension and refurbishment of an existing building. The tender short-listing process under the management of the ETB is nearing its conclusion. Once this process is complete, the project will progress to tender and construction in due course. Waterford-Wexford ETB will be engaging directly with the school authority to keep it informed of progress.

I again thank the Deputy for providing the opportunity to outline the Department of Education's position in relation to these four projects. As I have outlined, the Department will continue to engage with the relevant school and delivery authorities to progress these much-needed projects as quickly and as practicably as possible.

Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. I warmly welcome the word "engagement". That is so important for the key stakeholders, especially the principals of the schools. No doubt these issues are being replicated in many schools. I have to say that the initial response from the Minister and her Department has been very positive and engaging. Simply, joined-up thinking is needed in many of these situations and there is a need for common sense. To build a school for 1,000 students without a playground is simply ludicrous. To have a DEIS school in Arklow, St. John's, without a PE room is simply unfair to the children and the teachers. Based on my initial discussions, I really feel positive.

I want to finish on a very positive note. After 26 years in prefabs, the new school project for Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir is progressing to tender. As we move forward, we must ensure no other school must wait this length to have the basic facilities the children and the teachers deserve.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I again thank Deputy Brennan for raising these issues, and for doing so quite forcefully on behalf of the respective schools and articulating their positions. The Deputy is correct in saying that it is so important when we are making these investments in the schools that we get it right and that we put in place the services the schools need and the pupils and the teaching staff deserve for their respective schools. It is critically important as well to continue to engage with the schools, as the school building unit does, to be fair to it, and to keep them informed. That is what the school authorities need to know. They need to know how their application is progressing. They need to know that if there is an issue that it has to respond to it in a timely fashion, so that it can progress through the various stages. It is not under my remit but the Deputy can be assured that the concerns he raised this evening will be relayed to the Minister, who will work with the officials to try to ensure we meet the expectations of the schools in question.