Anthony Lawlor (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I again thank the Minister of State for taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills. Perhaps he will pass on a couple of queries to the Minister. I welcome everything the Minister of State said. As stated earlier, I expect the school to be open before September 2021. I have identified the fact that the school is operating across three sites at present. That is key. PE classes will be very difficult because the site in Craddockstown is not large enough to cater for the PE needs of the school. I again thank Naas GAA for allowing its facilities to be used by the school. As for the possibility of all other subjects and classes being held on the one site, will the Department of Education and Skills approve sufficient funding to allow KWETB to procure or rent whatever classroom facilities it needs? My understanding at present - and it makes me nervous to say it - is that the Department of Education and Skills has decided not to grant KWETB the full number of classrooms required to take in the minimum number of 120 pupils for the year ahead and that we will still, next year and possibly the year after, have the problem that the school will be located across three sites. Can the Minister of State give me some detail as to how this procurement will be progressed and whether it will be in place in time for the start of the school year? I hope it will happen sooner rather than later.