Maynooth education campus
Deputy Farrelly said investment was limiting the potential of Maynooth’s education campus and noted one school remains in temporary buildings. The Taoiseach said Maynooth is a special education town and the Government is committed to more investment there and across Kildare.
The potential for Maynooth education campus is being greatly limited by a lack of investment. On site we have three phenomenal schools, Gaelscoil Ruairí, Maynooth Community College and Maynooth Post Primary School. Maynooth is one of the very few towns in Ireland where a student could attend primary, post-primary and third level education entirely as Gaeilge. According to my friend, Councillor Peter Melrose in Maynooth, the Gaelscoil has been in temporary buildings since 2019, despite plans being ready to execute for some time. The Taoiseach has heard from other Members here that capital investment in schools in Kildare really is at desperate levels at this point. Can he outline to us when the Department expects to publish its plans under the NDP for capital investment and can he ensure that Kildare will get its fair share of that investment?
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy. As he said, other Members have also raised this issue. I did a tour of Maynooth with Deputy Ó Cearúil. It is a classic education town. It is a beautiful town with tremendous potential at all levels of education. Is féidir leat do thuras oideachasúil idir bhunscoil, an dara leibhéal agus an tríú leibhéal a dhéanamh trí Ghaeilge. Is áit speisialta é.
We are very committed to expanding investment in schools in Maynooth and across Kildare more generally.