Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I can understand what a frustrating experience it is for any school that is struggling.My Department is planning on delivering 20,000 school places every year. We are facing the need to meet very strong population challenges across both primary and secondary level. It is a challenging area for my capital Department.

On the wider issue of the planning area of Balbriggan, it is indeed one of 314 planning areas across the country in which the Department is currently carrying out a demographic exercise to identify whether there is pressure for additional accommodation to be built in the longer term, that is, to extend the total number of places available in the area. That result should be available within a reasonable period although it is not yet available.

On the specific situation in respect of St. Molaga's school, I recognise that what the Senator says is correct. The school has had a permanent building and temporary accommodation. It has survived for a very long period on a mixture of the two, with eight classrooms in temporary accommodation as well as two special needs classes. The school is absolutely and rightly on the Department's building programme. I do not want to get into a dispute about timings. However, the note I have says there was contact during the summer months regarding a project brief for the school and the longer-term projected staff requirements, and that the Department is currently preparing the project brief following that discussion. As the Senator correctly stated, a meeting has been scheduled for early February to bring that discussion further, with a consultation with the school authorities. The completion of the project brief will facilitate the project to be progressed into architectural planning, which includes the appointment of a design team. This is a positive movement for the project. There is a project brief close to completion. There is this meeting and it will proceed then to the design phase.

I assure the Senator that my Department does recognise the importance of this. Providing additional prefab accommodation does not mean that the school will lose its position or the importance that is assigned to the work. As the Senator did, I also commend the principal, Pauline Costello, and the staff on the work they are doing in the school. I hope these scheduled meetings will assist the school in its planning and delivery of the service to which it is giving such commitment at present.