Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the centre of Dún Laoghaire, there is a beautiful old fire station that operated for many years as an enterprise centre. In recent years, a decision was made for that building to become the new site of the Educate Together school that is due to be based in Dún Laoghaire. Since that decision was made a number of years ago, nothing has happened. I understand the building is now in the ownership of the Department of Education but nothing has happened to progress the siting of the school at that location to the enormous frustration of the people involved in the school community and the people who live in the area and are looking at this de facto derelict building. I gather the roof is full of pigeons. It is not doing the building any good as time goes on. It is enormously frustrating when these decisions are made, flagged and progressed up to a point but no further action appears to take place. The council cannot help with the issue because it no longer owns the building and the Department seems either unwilling or unable to act and progress the project. This is repeated in many other places. We should be examining these issues in the Chamber and making sure that when such commitments are made, there is a way in which we can ensure action is taken and communities are not left standing around and waiting for what they know is going to happen to actually happen. That drives people insane and it is easy to understand why.