School Accommodation
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-21
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Rose Conway-Walsh (SF), Mayo

I appreciate that. I know the Minister of State is genuine when he says he will do that with St. Brendan's College because doing so would send a clear message that while we plan for the future, we do not abandon the students in the present. I look forward to some movement on that issue. This is a very small investment in terms of the interim measure which would have a profound impact on the students who need that space. This is about fairness, urgency and care and about ensuring children who need support are not left behind while waiting for buildings that may still be years away. After nine years with the Department, one can imagine, even from a public expenditure point of view, how much the Exchequer would have saved if that was done when it was planned and approved, never mind all the benefits for the children who would have benefited in the meantime from having the additional space and the additional rooms which are desperately needed. We are fortunate that there is demand for that school and the numbers are increasing. We see in many rural schools that the numbers are decreasing. It speaks to the excellence of the teachers and management in that school. I have to praise the other two secondary schools in Erris as well which do excellent work. One of the key advantages of living in that area is the education provided. I ask the Minister of State to go back to the Department to say that nine years is too long and that it needs to get moving on this project, get the main project done and in the meantime provide a small bit of money that will make a huge and profound difference to the work the teachers and students are doing there. On behalf of the students, the teachers and the principal, I thank the Minister of State for his response.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-31T01:00:51+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-21