Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. I take very seriously the issues the Senator raised, and there are obviously concerns in very heavily populated areas. I get the concern of parents and understand the need to progress matters as quickly as we possibly can. I am also conscious, however, that we have been dealing even today and over the weekend with legacy issues of schools having been fast-tracked over too short a period. We learned many lessons from that. We are looking at longer lead-in terms, but this cannot be used as an excuse for not dealing with the immediate pressures. I get the Senator's concerns. As I said, a request for additional accommodation has been submitted. We will make a decision on that and ensure that the officials are proactive in this regard. As for the Senator's observation on the inclusion of Donaghmede, and in defence of the officials who prepared this answer, the first part of the question referred to Fingal, although I acknowledge the Senator's interest was in the two areas to which he referred.

Walking the corridors of this House and bumping into colleagues from every constituency, I am finding out about the increasing pressures, demands and populations in their areas. These are issues, but the only way we can do this properly is to have a trajectory of a long-term plan. For this reason, the Government has provided funding of €8.4 billion in the ten-year capital plan. It is the first time in the State that we are working on a ten-year plan. I understand that news of ten-year plans is no good to parents whose children are going to school today but we must manage this. In raising this matter today, the Senator has highlighted the need to deliver this as speedily as possible while adhering to new policies and guidelines, which are also necessary to provide the right solutions and buildings.