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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation

St Paul's school building

Summary

Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin raised the long delay in providing a new building for St. Paul's school in Monasterevin. The Taoiseach said the issue was outside the scope of this session and would be referred to the Education Minister.

The Taoiseach has heard me raise St. Paul's school in Monasterevin on many occasions in the Chamber. When he was Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton heard me speak about the school, which has been waiting longer for a new building than any other school in the country; it has waited for 20 years. There have been many blips along the way. The current Minister for Education and Skills visited the school on 2 October to see the situation for himself. The school population has doubled in the past ten years. There are two toilets for 207 boys. It is a very good mixed school and the staff and principal are excellent, but the facilities are shocking. On 2 October, the Minister gave a commitment that the lease for the new school building would be signed within the next two or, at the most, three weeks. More than a month later, we have heard nothing. I do not expect the Taoiseach to have an answer in front of him, but I would appreciate it if he would ask the Minister's office to contact me today to let me know whether there is an update.

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Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I am afraid that, given that this session is about questions on promised legislation, I do not have an answer to her question because it relates to a school project, which I am sure is a major issue in Monasterevin. I will ask the Minister for Education and Skills to reply to her query.

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