11. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Education and Youth to explain the process around School Building Projects; the project process and if there are currently delays in the process. [29148/26]

Sentiment score: 0.00

I ask the Minister about the school building project list for schools which are either new builds or seeking extensions, and when they get on to that list how they work through the process and what delays they might face.

Sentiment score: 0.00

I thank the Minister for that clarification. I will use Boyne Community School in Trim as an example. It has been on the school project building list for over 15 years for works and an extension. Some 24 prefabs have been added to that site which is a recognition that the Department is aware how important extending and improving the school is. The local demand for this school is huge. It is the only secondary school in Trim that caters for boys. Engagement with the Department was lacking for many years, but a full redesign was completed recently. However, it still remains in stage 2(a) behind Scoil Mhuire and our local Gaelscoil which only got onto the list in recent years. I understand emergency school building works will arise and sometimes projects will have to be leapfrogged, but Boyne Community School should be on a transparent, public list with works completed as quickly as possible, in the order it went on the said list.

Sentiment score: 0.13

Boyne Community School is a DEIS school. It is on a fantastic site and is a lovely, historical building, but it is not fit-for-purpose as it stands. The type of building it is causes complexity in design and cost but we really need to overcome that. It was acknowledged 15 plus years ago that this work was needed. I have concerns around the 24 prefabs. Incredibly, having looked at them and the classrooms in the school, they provide better facilities for the students. It is putting some pupils at a disadvantage. It is almost creating a two-tier education system within the one school community. With the new and improved curriculums which focus on continuous assessment and practical matters, we need to provide these much-needed facilities. We cannot continue to disadvantage the pupils in Boyne Community School.

Sentiment score: 0.16