6. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the additional school accommodation application by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8152/25]

Sentiment score: 0.01

I want to make a big push in support of the additional school accommodation application that has been made to the Department by Scoil Seanáin Naofa, better known in my locality as Clonlara National School. Last September I brought the principal, Donnchadh Kelleher, and the chairman of the board of management to meet with the then Minister, Deputy Foley. Subsequent to that, there has been correspondence over and back with the building unit in the Department. Now is the time to approve it. The school is in a decrepit state. It is desperately in need of new accommodation. I hope the Minister can try to progress it.

Sentiment score: 0.15

I thank the Minister State for that. That is indeed a very positive update. The school has applied for the replacement of its old prefab classrooms. In total, there are five classrooms in an older block of the school that was built in 1968. The school has applied to the Department to replace these and provide a new staffroom and entrance area. The classrooms are small, draughty, cold and damp. The walls are decaying on the roof has perished. I have first-hand experience of some of these classrooms because, as the Minister of State knows, I taught for 16 years prior to my election to the Dáil. During the Covid pandemic, when there were staff shortages due to illness, I did a couple of unpaid subbing days in the school. I was in one of the old classrooms. The wind howls around it and the walls are actually buckled because they are so old. Some of the windows have dislodged from where they were first fixed. The classrooms need to be replaced. What we are hearing today is really positive but there needs to be an acceleration because, when I think of the beautiful new schools I see around the country, I note Clonlara school is not one of them. Its classrooms are not fit for teaching in and the staffroom is not fit for the staff. It does not fit the modern curriculum. While there is good news, acceleration is needed.

Sentiment score: 0.01

I thank the Minister of State. This is really good news. I am aware that representatives of Clonlara school are watching this morning. This amounts to a new school, but, for all the reasons I have outlined, it is desperately needed. There is also an inaccessibility issue because, as one notes if coming in the main doors of the school or going down the corridor, the school is built on two levels. It is a split-level building and there is a very precarious ramp. In the past, there were children who had to use wheelchairs to get up and down it. That is not the case within the current enrolment but the ramp is precarious and nowhere near compliant with building regulations. It needs to be addressed. There are other issues also, including accessibility to the PE curriculum. We cannot eat up all the school’s open space when we eventually build the new building. Overall, however, the development is positive. I thank the Minister of State and the Minister, but I thank the previous Minister, Deputy Foley, in particular. On 13 September last, she met me and two representatives of the school in Mungret, County Limerick. Subsequent to that, there were visits by the Department. It is going well. The school will be delighted to accept the brief but acceleration the project is key. I thank the Minister of State and Minister and wish them the best of luck in their new positions.

Sentiment score: 0.17