James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton, to the House and indeed congratulate him on his re-appointment. I thank him for taking the time to address this matter, which is of grave concern to the students, parents, teachers and the wider community of Lusk. The population of Lusk was approximately 500 to 700 when I first started in practice back in 1983. It was 7,000 in 2011, it is now 10,000 according to the last census of 2016, and it is due to grow further to 12,500 in the coming years.

There are, as the Minister knows, active building sites all around Lusk. Some of them involve the provision of new school and educational facilities and they are very welcome. We have very good bus and rail links and we are very near Dublin city, Dublin Airport and Swords. Lusk is an attractive place in which to live and start a home and a young family. The demand, therefore, for all school facilities in Lusk will continue to grow. Rush and Lusk Educate Together national school currently has 420 pupils. Lusk national school has 850 pupils on its books and is growing. The Round Towers GAA club has 600 members. The soccer club, with 19 teams, has 325 playing members and rising. We also have our athletics club, judo club, and many other clubs.

As a Fine Gael Senator and local Lusk GP I am very proud to see three cranes on the skyline of Lusk building new primary schools and a new all-purpose PE hall, supported and implemented efficiently by the Minister's Department. It surprises me and many others, therefore, that the same project group cannot seem to implement in a timely manner the building of the promised new facilities for Lusk Community College. This involves a new build extension to cater for: an additional 650 pupils; a special needs unit; a physical education unit; a hall with a fitness suite and changing facilities; and ancillary accommodation, including a school library.There have been multiple promises of start dates, tenders, etc. I was delighted, as a Minister, when construction of phase 1 commenced in 2011 and completed on time in 2013, with phase 2 due to complete in 2014. Everybody is surprised to learn that planning was not obtained until 2016. We were given to understand that tenders would be awarded and construction would commence this summer but clearly that is not now going to happen because the tenders are not due in until July this year.

The community is frustrated and annoyed. People are losing faith. I know from the meeting last Tuesday night, which was well attended, that several parents of children currently attending the school are considering sending younger children elsewhere because of the overcrowding, where children are required to eat lunch in their classrooms and the hall, which should be used for other functions, is now being used for teaching. The parents cannot understand why this project is not proceeding.

I understand that the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, has been in communication with my office regarding a meeting I requested with him and his officials on behalf of the parents' group at Lusk Community College. I would like the Minister to confirm today that he will meet with the parents' group from Lusk Community College so that they can explain their case directly to him and his officials.

Naturally, everybody is anxious to move this project forward and parents do not want any more delays. The Minister will understand that many children commenced their education in this school in the belief that they would be able to complete their education there but because the school will not now be completed until, at the earliest, 2019 this may not be the case for many children. There is a very strong community and committee involved, including Mr. Gabriel Kelly, Ms Caroline O'Malley, Mr. Josephine Lara, Mr. Michael Lenihan, Mr. Paul McNally and Ms Tricia Lynch.

I would like to read into the record an email I received from a parent, Mr. Liam Cassidy, in Lusk:

Following a meeting with local political representatives on Tuesday the 13th, I am writing to you to express my personal disappointment regarding the further delays in the completion of Lusk Community College. We have now been given a best case completion date of the end of 2019. To say that this is appalling is an understatement. In its current state, the school is not fit for purpose and is already overcrowded, without even having the fully secondary cycle of children in attendance yet. Imagine there is no PE hall, no library, no designated lunch areas. Students are being facilitated in portacabins as there are not enough classrooms. That might be okay when you were six or seven in primary school but not for growing teenage girls and boys. Wouldn't fancy it, would you?

As the Leas-Chathaoirleach is indicating that my time has expired, I will not read the remainder of the email.