Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate we had both Ministers in the House to debate the motion. We all agree that while a lot of work is being done in the area in terms of providing capital funds for building new schools etc., the process of actually building schools needs to be streamlined because we have heard references to this right around the country. Senator Wall and I have spoken about the situation in County Kildare where it takes a long time to procure a site and planning permission and years later we can still be at an early stage in terms of the delivery of the school. There is no doubt the delivery of the capital programme is hugely important in terms of secondary school places, ASD classes and special schools. Equally, there is a very pressing situation with regard to the allocation of secondary school places. We have spoken not just today but ad nauseam on other occasions in the Seanad as well as in the Lower House about situations where children and their families go through months, if not 12 months, agonising about whether they will have a secondary school place or not. More often than not, they will have a place at the end of the process, thankfully, but there is up to 12 months of undue stress. It certainly makes far more sense to have a situation where parents can indicate their school of choice, but to have a streamlined situation where the Department has the population data and data from primary schools and for school capacity and availability. There has to be a process where the Department can help ensure the application process is not as long, is more streamlined and that children, their parents and their schools will know where and when they will have a place.

For example, the Minister, Deputy Foley, mentioned figures that were new to me in terms of the situation in County Kildare. She stated that 400 more first year places will be available in September 2024 than there are sixth class children. That is certainly news to me and in nine of the 14 school planning areas in County Kildare there are more first year places available than there are sixth class children due to leave primary school. That is important information and obviously that is where the Department crunches the numbers. That begs the question as to why it then takes so long to go through an unnecessary process.

Senator Maria Byrne outlined the situation in Limerick. We know it has worked well in Ennis. I understand there will always be some issues so what we need to see is a really good assessment of where this has happened and where it has worked. The project has started in south Kildare but we do not have any definitive data. I feel that this year it seems to be working a little better. Surely there should be the option of being able to use this system in all areas where there is pressure. That does not take away from the need to have our new schools and capital programme and to acknowledge the huge expenditure there is. It is really important. The new schools are amazing. St. Paul's secondary school in Monasterevin is just an incredible school. It is fantastic to see what the students, staff and whole school community are getting in their new building. We just need to see more of them and to see it happen at a faster pace.