I have been contacted by dozens of parents of children attending St. Mary's Boys National School in Lucan. The school has been approved for a project to deliver four mainstream classrooms, five special education rooms and the repurposing of an existing space. Overall, this is welcome. However, parents have raised concerns with me that this will take a section of the school's playing pitch. As the Taoiseach knows, green space is vitally important to our young people. The school has submitted an alternative application that would see an existing prefab being replaced and all special classes integrated into a single modular building. This would be more streamlined and cost-effective, but crucially, it would save the school's pitch. The Department has informed me that it would not be able take this into consideration at this time. Sometimes bureaucracy gets in the way of a common-sense and even cost-effective approach. Will the Taoiseach speak to the Department and ask it to consider this alternative, common-sense approach?

I cannot get into the details of every specific school project but I appreciate the Deputy raising the issue in respect of St. Mary's in Lucan. I do not know why the Department cannot accommodate the alternative proposal. What is important is that the project is completed. Sometimes deliberations can slow the process down. I understand the importance of the playing pitch. Physical education is as important as intellectual and academic education. We have to be healthy in mind and body and playing pitches facilitate that. I will speak to the Minister.