I want to bring to the attention of the Minister of State the urgent situation affecting St. Joseph's Secondary School, Rush, Gaelscoil Ros Eo and the Rush education campus in my constituency in Dublin Fingal West with regard to the recent allocation of funding for schools building. While I understand projects that were fully documented as complete were eligible, it looks like it will take six to eight weeks before the tender is ready to go for the Rush education campus. That is six to eight weeks where children will continue to learn in overcrowded and outdated classrooms. Once the tender is committed, I urge the Minister of State to have it considered promptly and to give it the priority it deserves prior to the next tranche of funding, which I believe is in 2028. St. Joseph's and Gaelscoil Ros Eo serve one of the youngest populations in the country and one of the fastest growing towns. The need for an education campus in Rush is immediate. We are not talking about planning for some distant future. Rather, we are talking about children today learning in buildings that are no longer fit for purpose. I worked in one of them, so I know that parts of them are more prefab than school at this point. The site for the Rush education campus is ready to go. It is procured and the planning permission has been given. There are no obstacles to starting construction other than funding and political commitment. This project was promised and can be delivered if we act decisively. I am hoping that the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, will help secure the necessary funding so that children can finally have a safe, modern and suitable environment for learning. This is more than bricks and mortar - it is an investment in the future of the children in the north county, in our town and in our community. Every day of the week, the children continue to learn in inadequate conditions. We owe them to act now to ensure they have the education they deserve in the environment that they need. I urge the Minister of State to give the project the priority it deserves and to commit to seeing it through without further delay. St. Joseph's and Gaelscoil Ros Eo, the students - some of whom were my students - and their parents cannot wait any longer.

Sentiment score: 0.17

It is nice to see the accommodation of St. Joseph's and the Gaelscoil will be considered as part of the ongoing overall Department-led prioritisation process. The people of Rush are looking for a commitment that the project will keep being progressed once the tender documents are delivered to the Department, which will be in a matter of weeks. The campus will not have to wait until the next tranche, should that be 2028, to fund a school that is oversubscribed and outdated. Will the Minister of State give me an indication on when the next tranche might be released? I believe the Tánaiste is visiting Dublin Fingal West later in the week. I would be happy to bring him around the school and show him the plight of my ex-students and the children of Rush should he be interested. We have spoken about it before in here.

Sentiment score: 0.22