Results 981-1,000 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: Senator, I will pull you up for a moment. I do not expect the building unit to know the specifics of a programme because, in fairness and in defence of the witnesses, we brought them in to discuss a list of ten items. I ask members not to get into specifics but more on policy around the specifics-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: I want to be fair to everybody, including the members.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: Absolutely, it is for everybody in this room. However, the solar panels issue is a policy question. We will deal with that first and then briefly answer the Senator. I am trying to be fair to everyone.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: If there are specifics, and Mr. Loftus or his colleagues do not have the reply, I ask that they reply to the clerk of the committee who can then pass it onto the members.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: We have a whistle-stop tour of the constituency. Can we answer the solar panels questions first? That is the policy issue.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: Briefly, as we have gone over the ten-minute mark.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: Next are Senator Flynn and Deputy Ó Cathasaigh.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: I have no issue with members asking for specifics.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: I have a specific one as well.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: Just to cover myself.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: I made a mistake. I said Deputy Nolan but Deputy Farrell is next.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: On that, will Mr. Loftus make sure that a full response in regard to that school is sent to the clerk, who can forward it on to Deputy Nolan?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: I have a couple of questions myself before I bring in the other speakers. On 4 July we had the Holy Family School for the Deaf in Cabra, Dublin 7 before the committee. Mr. Kelly and Ms Mannion were here that day as well. The issue of the school's new building was raised. Will Mr. Loftus give us an update? Mr. Kelly tried to give us an update on July 4 but he did not have the specifics so...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: I thank Mr. Loftus for that. What is the Department's general policy on the rental of school buildings to accommodate students in a school setting? Is it a case of building a new school?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: I have tabled two parliamentary questions on the proposed new school building for Meánscoil Gharman, Enniscorthy, County Wexford . I have been approached by a group of parents on this issue. The school is renting at present and a site has been identified, but some of the parents want confirmation that the new school building will be going ahead. What is the plan for that?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: Would building a new school not offer more value to the taxpayer?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: What intrigues me is that the Department, with Wexford County Council, has identified a new school site. According to responses to parliamentary questions I have tabled, the work is progressing, but now I am being told it might not be.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: When do you expect a decision to be made on that?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: On the solar panels, it is beyond me that progress cannot be made. Thousands of schools throughout the country, both primary and post-primary, could be harvesting energy. What is the delay? This was announced quite some time ago by both Ministers. At the time both said this would be happening here and now, yet still nothing is happening.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)
Paul Kehoe: Okay. I have two final questions. I am moving to special education and Ms Mannion may wish to take it. St. Patrick's School in Enniscorthy was completed. It is an absolutely fantastic building. The officials are probably aware the school is now renting space off the Gaelscoil next door. Pupils are coming from the borders with Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow and the middle Wicklow area....