I thank the Minister of State for being here. Obviously, I am disappointed the Minister for education is not here but I was informed yesterday that the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, would be taking this Commencement matter instead.

There are two parts to this story. Curragh Community College was originally built for 140 students in the middle of the Curragh camp for the families who were living there. The schools in Kildare town and Newbridge reached capacity and it was agreed in 2018 that the Curragh community school would expand to take in the numbers from Newbridge and Kildare town and that a new school would be built. It was then decided this new school would be built on the grounds of Magee Barracks at the edge of Kildare town. This was agreed and the contracts were signed for the sale of the site in 2022. Planning permission was unfortunately protracted because, even though Kildare County Council did its business quickly, the proposal went to An Bord Pleanála, which caused a delay of two years. Thankfully, the board ruled in favour of the original decision to granting permission for the school.

This is where we are now. We still have no school. We still do not have a sod turned on the Magee Barracks site. Meanwhile, there are increased pressures on the schools in Kildare town and Newbridge. The Curragh community school, originally built for 140 students, now has 300 students. That is taking its own toll. Coincidentally, yesterday, I received correspondence from the teachers of the existing Curragh Community College formally requesting urgent intervention regarding the very serious deficits in health, safety, welfare and infrastructure across the school campus. We should bear in mind that the board of management and staff agreed, in the interests of providing education to young people in the area, to take on extra students. The school has more than doubled the number of students it had. The conditions are absolutely horrific. There are no PE facilities or canteen, so students have to sit in their classroom to eat. There is severe overcrowding in the staffroom, which only has three tables for 40 people, and in the classrooms. There are no practical rooms for science, home economics, woodwork, etc.

Students have to walk on dangerous public roads to reach the squash club, where they are able to avail of some physical activity.

There is a huge impact on teaching, learning and legal compliance. This is having a big impact on the educational capacity of the young people. There are structural hazards as well as unsanitary and inadequate toilets. There are overcrowded hallways and a lack of designated social spaces. The list goes on. This is having a big impact on the school ethos and teacher and student well-being. We are waiting for the update on the new school. In the interim, we require urgent health and safety audits, immediate emergency works and clear timelines, including transport.

I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this matter because it provides me with the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth to outline to the Seanad the current position in relation to the major building project for Curragh Community College in Magee Barracks, Kildare.

This project is included in the Department of Education and Youth’s construction programme which will be delivered under the national development plan as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework. The brief for this project is to provide a new, permanent school building for the school. This project will be delivered in two phases. Phase 1 will deliver accommodation for 425 students, while phase 2 will deliver the remaining accommodation to provide for the long-term projected enrolment of 1,000 students at the former Magee Barracks site in Kildare.

Stage 1 for Curragh Community College was approved, as the Senator knows, in June 2023 and stage 2A was approved in January 2024. The project then moved to stage 2B of architectural planning and detailed design, where all statutory approvals were secured and a suite of tender documents were prepared. The design team lodged its initial application for planning permission for the preferred design option with the local authority in October 2023. The design team subsequently received a substantial request for further information from the local authority in respect of the planning application. Following its response to the local authority, the design team received the local authority’s initial decision to grant planning permission with conditions on 9 October 2024. The initial grant of planning decision was appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála in October 2024 and the design team received An Coimisiún Pleanála’s decision to grant planning in early February 2025. The Senator can, therefore, see the timeline of what has been happening. All other statutory approvals, such as the disability access and fire safety certificates, were also secured.

The project is currently at architectural planning stage 3, tender action and award. The tender returns have recently been received and a review of them is currently ongoing by the design team to formulate a tender report for the Department’s review and comments. On completion of the tender report review by the Department, the letter of intent is expected to issue to the successful tenderer.

The school is currently located in accommodation in the ownership of the Department of Defence. Pending completion of the new school building project, the Department will continue to work with the patron holder to ensure that the accommodation is appropriate to the school’s needs. I heard what the Senator said about health and safety issues.

In July, the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026 to 2030 under the national development plan. As part of this allocation, the Department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting annual school places.

In relation to project roll-out for large-scale projects and additional school accommodation scheme projects, the approach will be to continue to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible in the first instance and provide necessary additional capacity through targeted and prioritised project roll-out over the period 2026 to 2030.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, for her response. I am aware of the two-phase process that was committed to. If phase 1 had started at this point, I do not think we would be here discussing it because there would be an opportunity for the existing students in Curragh Community College to transfer over. Mention was made of working with the patron bodies to ensure the accommodation is appropriate for school needs. The existing accommodation is most certainly not suitable. I want this to be taken as a priority. I would like to see the Minister, Deputy Naughton, visit the school to see at first hand what it is about.

I make the point that the principal, staff and management at Curragh Community College are second to none. They are incredible. They give their all to the students they serve. They and the students deserve to have school accommodation that is fit for purpose, and they do not have it at this point.

I hear what the Senator is saying, that the existing accommodation is not suitable. Things are happening and things are in train, but perhaps the capacity and speed at which they are progressing is an issue for the Senator. I will certainly bring her comments to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Naughton. The Senator said the principal and staff are second to none. I fully understand that because I visit many schools myself. That kind of capacity or empathy can never be questioned. However, it is important to emphasise that, since 2020, the Department has invested over €6 billion in our schools through the national development plan, involving the completion of more than 1,300 school building projects. I hear what the Senator has said. Every one of us is interested in our own constituency and what is happening there. I hear the specific comments she makes on the need to ensure this project is moved forward as quickly as possible. I promise to bring that to the attention of the Minister.

I thank the Minister of State for giving her time to be with us for two of the Commencement matters. We appreciate her attending today.