The Ardee Educate Together National School in County Louth has 187 students. A portion of the school building dates from 1812, the year in which Charles Dickens was born. The situation some of the students must go through at the moment is unbelievable. The school is ready to go, the council has been appointed a contracting authority and the tenders have been finalised. However, the project is one of the 56 currently held up in the Department of Education. I ask the Tánaiste to insist, as a matter of urgency, on a review of the decision to stop this construction project from proceeding in order that the school can open as expected in September 2024.

The Minister for Education has been in discussions with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to get the issue of additional funding to facilitate movement and construction on these projects resolved so it can proceed as quickly as possible. I expect a decision on that imminently.