Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming in tonight. I want to start by putting on record our thanks to the many teachers we have in the country who go above and beyond their duties every day of the week. It is always important, as colleagues said, that we start with that and thank them for the great job they do for so many of our students throughout the country in primary, post-primary and third level education.

In December last, I tabled a Commencement matter on school places in Kildare South with the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, as unfortunately the Minister was not available that particular day. That is also what I would like to concentrate my contribution on. The Minister will be familiar with this, as we have had a number of conversations over the past number of years on the continuing problems in Kildare South and it was referenced already by colleagues from that part of the country.

We are in a situation now where the biggest problem is September 2023. I want to put on record, once again, as I did on that Commencement matter, my thanks to the Government for the building programme it is putting in place. We have a 1,000-student new secondary school going into the Magee Barracks in Kildare town. I was told, and the Minister might confirm, that as of three weeks ago, there will be some 425 places available in September 2024 in temporary accommodation. It would be important to hear from the Minister on that tonight or she could come back to us with details at a later stage. It is important for parents to plan. If those places are available in Kildare town in 2024, that will relieve the anxieties of many parents in the Newbridge and Kildare areas.

However, it leaves us with the problem in 2023. Over the past number of weeks, I continue to get representations, as I am sure colleagues do, throughout Kildare from worried parents. One parent even told me that their child has contemplated suicide. I do not say that lightly. That is what the parent said. The reason that is happening is because their friends and fellow students have a place, yet they are still, as was said already, 50th, 60th or 70th on a list in various secondary schools in the Newbridge and Kildare area. It is simply not good enough. The worry those parents and, more importantly, those children have is simply not good enough.

In the reply that I received from the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, in December on the Commencement matter, he stated there was work ongoing in the Department in relation to Kildare South. It was referenced tonight. I would appreciate if the Minister could confirm what that work is. We need to get that out to those people and families that have that concern and are still number 50 on the list. Only yesterday, a woman who has twins who still do not have a school place was on to me about school places in Kildare South.

I acknowledge the work the Department did last year. The Ceann Comhairle organised a meeting and that seemed to work. However, this year we have a problem for September 2023. I acknowledge the Minister’s ongoing commitment to that. I ask her to please let us know what her Department is doing on those school places. So many people have a worry.