Seanad debates

Tuesday, 28 July 2020

10:30 am

Photo of Garret AhearnGarret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and wish her well in her new role. I have two questions, one of which relates to yesterday's announcement and the second to a local school. Do the guidelines set out yesterday regarding school transport extend to after-school services that provide a drop-off and collection service for parents? I know a business in Clonmel involving three carriers collecting, on average, 20 or 25 children on any given day. If those guidelines do not include after-school services, what arrangements should they make? May children returning to after-school services mix with those in other schools or pods or should they be grouped in school pods?

Cahir is located in my constituency in Tipperary, and I seek an update on a new building for a primary school there. There are two primary schools in Cahir, one for boys and the other for girls. The principal of the boys' school, Mr. Brendan Horan, has been very progressive in trying to move forward this matter. This application began in 2004, some 16 years ago. The tender process was completed on 30 November 2019 and an announcement is long overdue. Does the Minister have an update on this matter? I tried to contact the her office two weeks ago and I have been waiting for somebody to come back to me. I know officials have been busy but people in Cahir have been waiting a long time to bring together the boys' and the girls' schools.

I wish the Minister well in her new role. My mother was a teacher before becoming a Deputy as well, so I have a slight understanding of the transition that the Minister is making.

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