Schools Building Projects
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-16
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Robert Troy (FF), Longford-Westmeath

I thank the three Deputies again for giving me an opportunity to update the House regarding the accommodation at St Aidan's CBS Whitehall.
The Department is committed to ensuring appropriate accommodation is available for all school pupils and will, in the wider context outlined, ensure that each school project under the school building programme is subject to due diligence required under the Government's infrastructure guidelines. The Deputies made a very strong case for the school this evening. Deputy McAuliffe has confirmed what was said at the committee today. It is possible for additional schools to be included in 2626 and 2027.
I assure Deputy Ellis that it is no less relevant that I am taking the debate this evening. I will relay the strong points that the Deputies have made this evening to my colleague the Minister, Deputy Naughton, to reinforce the message that this school has a priority to be included in 2026-27. Even for those that are not included in that, the Department is looking at ways to ensure that enabling works can be done so that when a further tranche of money becomes available in 2028, further schools will be added at that stage. The Department has been as flexible as it can be to ensure the maximum amount of construction work happens in 2026, 2027 and on into 2028.
The Deputies have made compelling cases this evening for St. Aidan's and I undertake to bring that back to the Minister, Deputy Naughton, on foot of their representations here in the House.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:49+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-16