I am glad to get the opportunity to raise the proposed extension of Gort Community School in south Galway. The principal of the school, Brian Crossan, is passionate about this project and the future of the school. There is no doubt that it is badly needed. Gort Community School is holding celebrations tomorrow for its 30th anniversary. It is an important milestone for the school. I congratulate the school on 30 years. In recent years, the school has grown from 780 to 1,050 pupils and will continue to grow. It has been working on this extension project for many years now. It first received approval from the Department back in 2019, so it has been in the pipeline for quite some time. After that approval, it is my understanding that the Department came back a few times and asked the school to make changes to redesign the project. As a result, the school is probably two or three years behind where it should be with this project. It is important to say this is a fantastic school. People only hear good things about it, but there is a need for better facilities and investment in the school. The three ASD units are working out of ordinary classrooms. They are cramped and inadequate facilities. This is a real issue with the level of need the school is experiencing. Given enrolment trends, there is significant demand for ASD provision in the area and waiting lists for a place in these classes will only increase. The school is at capacity as it stands. I mentioned the growth in pupil numbers, which is only going in one direction. The school is struggling for space and facilities and is reliant on prefabricated buildings. The extension will result in a 1,200-pupil school. It involves a purpose-built autism unit with three classrooms, 19 general classrooms, specialist rooms for art and home economics, science laboratories, a new staff room, a general purpose and dining area, a fitness suite and much more, as well as alterations to the existing building. This is an exciting project, but also an essential one, if the existing and projected demand at the school is to be met and education delivered at an appropriate standard. These are the type of facilities children and young people in the south Galway area need and deserve. Gort and the wider south Galway area is growing at a fast pace. Planning permission is in place for hundreds of homes and the school has a wide catchment area extending into north County Clare. Planning permission for the extension was granted in 2024. I understand the stage 2b report was submitted in March. The school wants to get on with this project now. It wants to build it, but it needs the go-ahead from the Department and it was not included in the NDP sectoral investment plan. It needs to be added to the priority list as soon as possible. The Minister, Deputy Naughton, visited the school recently. She is aware of the urgency of this project for the school, but it needs to be pushed on. I urge the Government to ensure that happens and to provide clarity on a timeline for when it can proceed to the next stage and issue a tender for construction.

Sentiment score: 0.15

I thank the Minister of State. This has been going on for many years at this stage. Of course, I understand that these projects take time but there is a pressing need for this project to be accelerated and delivered. I mentioned the pressure on ASD provision in the school. That is a real and immediate need that has to be met. Further delays with this project just makes it more difficult for the school to meet the demand that exists and provide an inclusive learning environment. I also mentioned that Gort and south Galway is a growing area and it is inevitable that significant additional school capacity will be required in the local area. Indeed, it is already required and the young people attending school there deserve top-class facilities, the same as one would expect to find in any other school. There is a clear need and that is the message that I want to get across today. We have to meet the demands of a growing community. It is the Department's own land and buildings. The Department has asked the school to upgrade the plans to build for 1,200 pupils and everything is in place now. The school has done all that has been asked of it but the project needs to start so that the school is ahead of the curve and can avoid significant issues in terms of school places, ASD provision and so on. Again, I urge the Government to ensure that this happens, that the project is made a priority. I also ask the Minister of State to provide clarity on the timeline for when the school can proceed to the next stage.

Sentiment score: 0.08