Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, Deputy Damien English. Senator Higgins has four minutes.

Lorraine Higgins (Labour)
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Gaelscoil Iarfhlatha in Tuam is seeking clarity on the matter of its proposed new school building. As far back as 2012 the school community was assured that a new school building would be delivered, as promised, in 2015. However, I am advised that there is no sign of this happening. Instead, according to the most recent updates from the Department, the project has not yet passed the site acquisition stage.The protracted process and the lack of clarity for the school is deeply frustrating for students, management and teachers. As I speak, a number of children are being taught in substandard temporary accommodation that has been in place for almost 20 years, which is wrong.

The pupils and teachers of Gaelscoil Iarfhlatha need more than simply being put on the long finger; they need a new school building and the Department of Education and Skills has committed to providing it this year. They need to know now with absolute certainty and clarity when work on a new building will commence and how soon the school will be operational so that the children can at last be taught in a fit-for-purpose environment.

I stand with the pupils, teachers, parents and management of Gaelscoil Iarfhlatha in urging the Minister of State in the strongest possible terms to bring clarity to this situation and to progress this long-standing issue for the students and teachers. I look forward to the Minister of State's response.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Lorraine Higgins for raising this issue which gives me the opportunity to clarify the situation and to report progress.

The five-year construction plan announced in March 2012 outlines the major school projects which will commence construction over the duration of the plan. A project in respect of Gaelscoil Iarfhlatha has been included in the plan and is scheduled to proceed to construction in 2015-16. I can advise that officials from my Department have been working closely with Galway County Council officials with regard to securing a suitable site to facilitate the delivery of permanent school accommodation for Gaelscoil Iarfhlatha in Tuam. A suitable site has been identified and the site acquisition process is at an advanced stage. However, during the conveyancing process issues outside the control of the Department have emerged which need to be addressed as part of due diligence in order for the conveyancing process to be satisfactorily completed. As the site acquisition is at conveyancing stage with legal issues being progressed and due to commercial sensitivities it would not be appropriate to provide further information at this stage.

Once the acquisition of the site is finalised this will enable the building project for the Gaelscoil to be progressed towards the construction stage. Under the Department's rapid design and build programme the tender process for a building contractor has been running in parallel with the site acquisition process. The appointment of the contractor will be concluded when the site acquisition process is complete.

I wish to assure the Senator that the officials from my Department are aware of the pressing need to acquire the site in order to facilitate the provision of a new school building. In that regard every effort is being made to advance the process to allow the project proceed to construction as soon as possible. I thank the Senator for raising the matter and I hope that this reply outlines the current position. I offer apologies from my senior colleague who is currently in Boston.

Lorraine Higgins (Labour)
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I appreciate the Minister of State's response but in my view it is a non-response. It has not shed any light on the question I raised. There is an urgent need to expedite the building of the school and the site acquisition in the first place. I ask that the Department would deal assiduously with the issues that have been raised. It is very important for the Department to consider a timeline for delivery of a school building and, first and foremost as a matter of urgency, for the acquisition of a site. I would appreciate a response from the Department in this regard as soon as possible.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I wish to clarify that the Department's officials recognise the urgency of the situation and they are doing all in their power to resolve it. The issues which arose are outside the control of the Department and are not within the gift of the Department to resolve. It is endeavouring to resolve them. They arose at a late stage of the conveyancing process. It is a legal matter which will have to be resolved. The Department wants to expedite the resolution of this issue and it is working very hard in that regard. Hopefully, we will see light very soon. The process will progress very fast thereafter.