School Funding
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-11
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Rory Hearne (SD), Dublin North-West

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I will again emphasise that, as the Minister of State has outlined, we have had a serious weather situation. I am sure it is not the only school in the country facing situations like this. Indeed, I know it is not. In my constituency and across the country, there are issues in relation to school buildings being kept up to standard. We have an issue in that the capitation grant given to schools is not sufficient to cover the basic cost of running a school. That is why parents are being asked all of the time to cover these costs through what is called a voluntary contribution. Of course, in many cases, it does not feel very voluntary. There is a need to increase investment in schools and in education to ensure we do not see situations such as the situation in Gaelscoil Uí Earcáin in Finglas. I will engage with the school. I look forward to the Department responding very positively to applications for emergency funding. I again ask for prioritisation because we really should not be in this position. A new school building should be in place. I ask the Department to look at this again and to come back to me on the development of that new school building.
I will again highlight what the parents have said. One said that, as a parent, it is completely infuriating to watch their children's physical health, emotional well-being and educational experience compromised while their tax contributions appear to be squandered on projects such as expensive bike sheds and walls rather than spent addressing issues at a school that is literally crumbling around the children inside it. That is the parents' experience and feeling. We need to acknowledge that and do much better.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-11/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:02+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-11