School Accommodation Seanad Éireann — 2026-02-05 ============================================================ Seán Kyne (FG), Cultural and Educational Panel I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for choosing this matter. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of education, Deputy Moynihan, and thank him for coming here this morning. I would like to acknowledge the national development plan investment package for education of some €1.6 billion, which is part of a €7.6 billion capital plan up to 2030. I also acknowledge the investment in four schools in Galway West and the ten across County Galway. The four in Galway West are St. Joseph’s Special School, Scoil Mhuire in Maigh Cuilinn, Clifden Community College and Coláiste Cholmcille in Indreabhán. Understandably, there is always disappointment among schools that are not included on these lists. I have been through this many times in the past when lists have been produced. One such school project is St. Joseph's Patrician College, Galway, which is better known as the Bish. The Bish is an excellent school. It is held in high regard, and Bish boys past and present are rightly proud of their school. The school worked for many years on the relocation plans relating to a new 1,000-student campus in Dangan, which received planning permission in 2024. Currently, the Bish educates 750 boys on a site that is constrained and that was designed for 450 pupils. There are no outdoor sports facilities. The school is in the heart of the city. It is difficult to provide specialist teaching spaces, student support and special education needs facilities, which, as the Minister of State knows, are now standard and expected. For the 2026-27 academic year, the school was oversubscribed by 250 places. That is testament to the high regard in which the school is held. In light of demographic changes, there is obviously a growing demand for secondary school places nationwide. In Galway city, there definitely is such a demand. Under a land exchange agreement with the University of Galway, the school secured the Dangan site in exchange for the lands at Nun’s Island, which would be strategic in the heart of the city. This is a key enabling element of the university's regeneration plans for major city centre development. Tá chuile duine sa Bish fíor-mhíshásta nach bhfuil an scoil ar an liosta a d’fhoilsigh an Roinn an tseachtain seo chaite. Tá cead pleanála faighte aici agus tá suíomh aici freisin. Tá éileamh do ranganna breise sa chóras dara leibhéal i nGaillimh. Tá buntáiste mór don chathair agus Ollscoil na Gaillimhe leis na pleananna atá aontaithe chun an Bish a aistriú ó Nun’s Island go dtí Dangan agus an talamh in Nun’s Island a thabhairt don ollscoil. I acknowledge the advocacy the school has engaged in over the years in terms of the planning process and in garnering the support of local representatives. I have been contacted by the chairperson of the board of management, Mr. Kieran Kavanagh, the principal, Ms Sarah Gleeson, and the parents' council co-chair, Ms Stephanie Rea, who are obviously disappointed that the school is not on the list. This disappointment is shared by many parents and pupils and, indeed, those who hope to attend the Bish over the coming years. I know that new schools are expensive. I get that there is not an endless supply of funding. Is the list that has been produced the final say for the next two years? Will there be additions? Will further capital be released from the Minister of State's Department? Will his Department be working with the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Deputy Harris, and the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Deputy Chambers, to secure additional capital funds for projects such as this? I am sure the Minister of State could list off a number of schools in his area and others across the country. I look forward to his response. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-02-05/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:35+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-02-05