School capital planning
Deputy McAuliffe said there is confusion about which schools remain in the capital programme after the latest education announcement. The Tánaiste said the first tranche had to start somewhere and further schools could move forward later.
The national development plan is an important investment in the future in terms of infrastructure. Last week’s sectoral announcement on education was welcomed in parts of my constituency. A new nine-classroom school extension has been approved for St. Canice’s Girls National School. However, I must say there is a lot of confusion on the ground regarding the announcement.
Schools that would have been regarded as being at very advanced stages are wondering if they are still on the list. Are they still being funded? Where are they? I want to raise some specific schools and the Tánaiste might want to come back to me in writing on them. There is a general point about us providing more clarity to school principals and boards of management. St. Aidan's CBS in Whitehall and Gaelscoil Uí Earcáin are both at advanced stages. If they need funding to be drawn down, they are wondering whether it will be available. The Department of education site on the Swords Road will include four schools, the largest development the Department of education will ever undertake. It will be Gaelscoil Áine, Ellenfield Community College, An Cosán Community Special School and Clonturk Community College. It is part of the ADAPT 4 programme. It is not on the list but surely given amount of work that has gone into it, it will be funded. I would like more clarity on those. General communication to other schools is also needed.
Comment on this
The Deputy's broad point is right. Without being flippant, when it comes to capital planning we have to start somewhere. It was important to get the first tranche out there and moving because a lot of other schools are wondering what it means for them. The Minister for education is conscious of that, as am I along with the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Chambers. In the period ahead, we will be looking at what other schools not on the list have an ability to move forward. The Deputy has been in this House long enough to know that when it comes to capital, there is often a churn and opportunities to add more schools. I will speak to the Minister, Deputy Naughton, on the specific projects - St. Aidan's, the Gaelscoil and the four-school development on the Swords Road - and ask her to come back directly to the Deputy on them.