Schools Building Projects

I want to raise an issue relating to Gaelcholáiste Reachrann. This time last year, I and the other TDs in Dublin Bay North collectively raised a Topical Issue on this. We have made a little bit of progress on the delivery of the school since then but, unfortunately, faith in the Department is waning. The students, teachers and the Gaelcholáiste community have been waiting on a new school for over 25 years. Last year we talked about it being 24 years. Deputy Neville was complaining about having waited for a number of years in County Kildare. The wait for us has been over a quarter of a century, in circumstances where the Department has delivered three, if not four, schools in the local area in double-quick time. It seems the Irish-speaking second level school is being discriminated against by the Department, with foot-dragging, bureaucracy and obfuscation. It is absolutely unacceptable that the school community would wait any longer in respect of this. I have been highly critical in my addresses on this issue. I have addressed this House as Gaeilge but I am addressing it as Béarla inniu lest the relevant officials think they can hide. They are not going to hide today and I am going to raise it again as Béarla. It is really important that this school is delivered. It is absolutely unacceptable that we continue to have no definitive date for when the tractors and the diggers are going to go in and start digging in this school. In the meantime, the students, the school community, the teachers and the principal are all working out of substandard accommodation. Some of it is cold and some of it is leaking. It is just not good enough. We need to move it on. If there is a will, there is a way. I just need some assurance on this today.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. As he knows, I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, to outline to the Dáil the current position on the new school building for Gaelcholáiste Reachrann, Donaghmede, Howth, Dublin 13. The school building project will cater for a long-term projected enrolment of 600 students, with additional classrooms for children with special educational needs. Primary design stage 1 focused on assessing the most appropriate options for locating the new school building and the school site at Grange Community College and included site surveys and a site and services investigation to assess the impact on the existing Grange Community College school. This process confirmed the viability of the project on the Grange Community College site and enabled the Department to approve the progression of the project to stage 2A of the design process in February 2013. The design team submitted its stage 2A report in August 2015 and the Department authorised the design team to progress to stage 2B in February 2017. The original grant of planning permission was due to expire in December 2022, but due to changes in the planning Acts in September 2021 it was no longer possible to apply for an extension to the planning permission for the main building project and a new application was required. The new planning permission application was lodged on 9 March 2023. A request for further information was received on 9 May 2023 in relation to the drainage proposals and additional assessments to meet Dublin City Council's development plan, including the provision of a flood risk assessment. Following submission of the further information, the final grant of planning permission was received in December 2023. The stage 2B report was received in April 2020. In October 2020, to expedite the progression of the major building project, the Department authorised the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board, DDLETB, and its design team to commence a prequalification process to select a shortlist of contractors in parallel with the Department's review of the stage 2B submission for this project. The invitation to tender issued in late quarter 4 of 2025. Tenders were returned to the design team and, following detailed review, a tender report was submitted to the Department in late September 2026. The tender report has been examined by Department officials to carry out due diligence. It is envisaged that construction will commence in quarter 4 of 2026. Since 2020, the Department of education has provided over €2.1 billion in capital funding for Dublin schools. Over this period, a total of 316 schools have been upgraded through provision of either a new school building, an extension, modular accommodation or climate pathfinder projects. Twenty school projects to go to tender or construction in 2026 and 2027 were included in the national development plan implementation plan, including Gaelcholáiste Reachrann. Forty-six large-scale extensions, modular or climate pathfinder projects in Dublin are under construction. There are also 53 projects under way through the climate action summer works scheme. In addition, since 2020, a total of 541 special classes have been sanctioned in Dublin, of which 140 were sanctioned for September 2026.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. He can rattle off all the different projects around Dublin and around the country nationally but there is a problem here. This project was started 25 years ago. None of the other projects are hanging around that long. It is absolutely inexcusable. The Minister of State can give all the explanations he likes but it is inexcusable. There is obviously an issue with the building section in the Department of education in Athlone. It moves at a snail's pace. The Minister of State says building will commence in quarter 4 of 2026. We are halfway through that quarter now. It is embarrassing for the Department. It is shameful. We need to get a move on and somebody needs to light a fire under the officials in Athlone to get this project under way once and for all.

Mar a dúirt me, I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton. The additional capacity being delivered as part of this project will assist in meeting both mainstream demographic pressures in the area and a significant requirement for additional special class provision to meet continued growth in demand. This project is allowing for expansion of both mainstream and SEN classes in a high-growth area. As part of the NDP implementation plan for the education and youth sector, a first tranche of projects to progress to tender or construction during 2026 and 2027 was published in January 2026. Prioritisation will continue to identify further tranches of projects to proceed to tender and construction over the NDP period. Stakeholder consultation commenced in June 2026. Our NDP implementation plan will optimise outputs from the NDP allocations, with a strong focus on maximising existing school capacity, progressing priority projects where local capacity across schools in the area is insufficient and ensuring delivery that is affordable, offers value for money and meets functional needs. The accommodation needs at Gaelcholáiste Reachrann Donaghmede are considered as part of the ongoing overall Department-led prioritisation process in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities. I will bring to the Minister the issues the Teachta raised this afternoon. I thank him for raising this important issue.