Keating raises concerns over St Mary’s NS in Lucan

The plight of St. Mary's girls' National School in Lucan, also known as Scoil Mhuire, which is in the process of being denied its promised and long overdue building refurbishment works that have been progressing through all the stages of the procedure for many years, was raised in the Dáil by Dublin Mid-West Fine Gael Deputy Derek Keating.

When the school was finally included in the schools stimulus package 2013, there appeared to be some glimmer of light, and for a number of years St. Mary's navigated its way through the protracted planning process, he said. “When I met the school principal, Mrs. Mary McIvor, before Christmas, she was pleased to confirm to me that building was scheduled to begin in February 2016, just a few short weeks away, and to conclude in late autumn 2016.”

However, he said last week the entire project and all of the works undertaken, such as the inclusion in the schools stimulus package and the steady progress through the planning process, was thrown up in the air, he said. “The principal was told by officials in the Department that it has emerged that there is a competition for resources between one school and another or others and that the promised funding may not now be forthcoming,” he said. “That is nothing short of disgraceful. We have told the people that things are better and that we have the fastest growing economy in Europe, yet we deny our children the basics in this school. The children have been advised through their parents to wear warm clothes because much of the heating system is no longer working. The building is in an unacceptable level of maintenance. In addition to the heating system not working, prefabs are still in place, windows are leaking and new and more acceptable bathroom facilities are required with drying facilities.”

In spite of that and the best efforts of departmental officials to cause confusion if not deny the vital capital works, Deputy Keating said Scoil Mhuire, St. Mary's girls' national school in Lucan, continues to provide a wonderful educational experience for its 680 children.

In reply, Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan said the building project at Scoil Mhuire was one of a number of projects included in the investing in infrastructure and jobs stimulus package which, as the Deputy has just said, was announced in June 2013. “As part of this announcement, my Department committed to advancing these school projects, including Scoil Mhuire, to completion,” she said. “I am aware of the concerns in the local community. As the Deputy may be aware, in the management of a capital programme, it is necessary to review periodically the scheduling of construction projects within the overall programme. This is a standard procedure, especially at the beginning of the year of the programme. In this context, my Department is conducting an expenditure profiling exercise to determine when projects can advance to site. When the expenditure profiling is complete, the Department will be in contact with Scoil Mhuire on the further progression of the project. I want to alleviate any fear that there is some kind of competition going on between schools - that is not the case. This is a procedure with regard to expenditure profiling and as soon as it is done - it will not take long - we will be in contact with the school.”