Like Deputy Ardagh, I also commend the school community and in particular, those students who are attending the school who have had to put up with two campuses, which is a very difficult thing when a person is trying to concentrate on his or her studies and education. I commend Sarah Green, the school principal, and the whole team and the board of management on their work in trying to hold this together. This project is an amalgamation of three schools: Caritas College, St. John's College De La Salle and St. Dominic's College. This was sold - and that is the word I am using - to the school community and the public at large as a step forward. They were told that a single campus would be best and would serve the educational needs of Ballyfermot and the children best and would also address special needs education on a single campus. Yet, despite the fact that the planning for this started well before Covid and the amalgamation happened in 2023, there is no sight of any progress of any type in relation to the new build that was promised and the special education units and classrooms, six of which were promised. Despite the fact that parents were told by Catholic Education In Irish Schools Trust, CEIST, along with Le Chéile, that it would only initially be over two campuses and that this was the best thing for students into the future, they were told that progress had already been achieved. When we look at where they are now in terms of a school build, that seems to be a lie. There was no movement. There is still no movement. At this rate, it will be 2030 before any new build will be completed.

Sentiment score: 0.26

Cosúil leis an Teachta Ardagh, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Aire Stáit as díriú isteach ar an gceist seo. It is important the message goes out here that progress will happen. It is pity that it did fall well behind because we still do not have even the integrated project team in place. For anything to happen that has to be in place, and planning permission has to be sought, along with tenders for that building. I do not wish to be dismissive in some ways, but given the answers I have received in recent times, it does not look like any building works will be on this site for at least the next two to three years. We want that to be fast-tracked to ensure those pupils who went in for first year in 2023 see some progress, rather than continuously, year after year, going in and being spread over two campuses. The reason they got DEIS plus status is along with the pressures on the community already, there is additional pressure because this build has not happened.

Sentiment score: 0.05