Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I too welcome Maggie and her family. I would also like to welcome two transition year students, Aoife and Conor, who are doing work experience with me and who are also in the Gallery. I hope they all have a very good day.

This Commencement matter has been tabled as a result of a lack of clarity, communication and engagement from the Department of Education with Lisdoonvarna secondary school. A number of years ago, Lisdoonvarna secondary school applied for additional accommodation. The Department said the criteria for a new secondary school were met. The secondary school in the area has been in existence for almost 75 years at this stage and we are very anxious to get approval for a new school building. It appears that a site for this new building is being gifted or made available free of charge to the Department of Education but until now, there does not appear to have been much engagement with the Department. It appears there is a blockage. It is inexplicable and there has been no explanation as to why such a blockage can happen. It is not every day of the week - in fact it is a rarity - that a site is gifted for the construction of a public building. It is usually the other way around and if a public building is proposed for a site, the site increases in value. This is a unique situation. My understanding is that people from the Department were supposed to do a site inspection and that was in train but now seems not to be happening or there is at least a lack of communication about the situation in that regard. I know these things take time. I know the process for bringing a school to fruition. In my own hometown of Ennistymon, a school was approved in 2015 and is only being built now. It was supposed to have been available for students last September but now looks like it will not be available until next September. That is the way it is. The cost of building has gone through the roof and a project that was forecast to cost €17 million is probably going to cost twice that amount.

The situation in Lisdoonvarna is concerning. The lack of information and engagement is unacceptable and very concerning. It is not just Lisdoonvarna that will benefit from this facility. The entire north Clare hinterland, from Ballyvaughan to Doolin and Fanore, and areas down along the Burren, will all benefit. The numbers are there. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, a very significant number of Ukrainian children have come to live in Lisdoonvarna.The community has engaged and welcomed them, but the facilities now need to reflect the good heart and decency of the community that is embracing these children. We need clarity, a timeline and engagement. I sincerely hope the Minister of State will have good news for the people, teachers, parents and, more important, the pupils of Lisdoonvarna who are using the school and will use it going forward.

It is a remarkable school that had no fewer than 14 projects in the Young Scientist competition only a couple of months ago. Each year, they excel in science – and that is just one discipline they excel in. It is a great school and it has great character. It has achieved a huge amount but it could achieve so much more if it had updated and upgraded building facilities.