Pádraic McCormack
Question:10 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Education when work will commence on the building of the new St. Joseph's Special School, Snipe Avenue, Newcastle, Galway.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Newcastle (Galway) Special School Project.
My Department's architects have completed sketch plans for the proposed new building for St. Joseph's Special School at Snipe Avenue, Newcastle, Galway. The school authorities have been given these plans to enable them to seek local authority planning permission.
The Minister and the Minister of State are aware that this matter has been going on for a number of years now. Let me say, to bring them up to date on the matter, that the plans as presented are acceptable and we are now asking only for the matter to be proceeded with. I did not hear the last remark regarding Galway Corporation. Will the Minister of State clarify it?
The school authorities have been given these plans to enable them to seek local authority planning permission.
Is it now a matter for the school authorities to apply for planning permission? The plans are acceptable and the site is there, so everything seems to be in order except to apply for planning permission. There will be no difficulty with that because preliminary discussions have already taken place with the Corporation in that regard. As soon as planning permission is acquired will the school then commence? That is what the parents are asking me to ascertain.
The Deputy will be aware that during the past eight years or so there have been appeals to the Department, especially during the time of the last Government, for progress on this school but that absolutely no progress has been made. Only in the last couple of years have we made significant progress. The procedure, as the Deputy should know, is that the local management board apply for planning permission after which the working drawings are prepared. When those drawings are completed the project is put out to tender. This special school is in a deplorable condition and it is a high priority with the Department. The Minister is determined that work should commence as soon as planning has been completed.
Let us make some progress on other questions.
I do not agree with the Minister's response. For three of those years the Minister was in power and he should have done something about this rather than blaming me. I was not a public representative for the area at that time. Progress has been made since I was elected a public representative for the area and the Minister has acknowledged that.
That is enough of that; this is Question Time.