Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Mar 2025

Vol. 1064 No. 1

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Rental Sector

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae

I am glad to have the chance to raise these important issues. I wish to discuss and deal with the issues preventing homeowners from renting out vacant houses and the tax that people have to pay. People must pay up to 50% in tax when they rent a private house or in respect of a house that they want to rent out. Fifty percent of €800 is only €400, and it is not worthwhile for many people who I know with these types of houses.

The other thing is that people cannot get tenants out when they want to. That is happening a lot, and people are afraid to rent out their houses.

People tell me the RTB has too much say, too much power and that it is in favour of the renter rather than the house owner but this is biting the renters as well because houses are vacant but are not available to be rented. I raised this issue with the Taoiseach almost two years ago. I gave him the instance of a road I know very well that runs from the top of the town in Kenmare through Kilgarvan and within five miles of Killarney town. There are 55 houses. People can get on the bus, which passes every half hour, almost, so there is transport available, but the houses are closed down. No one wants to rent them out because of the two issues I mentioned.

There has been so much talk about housing since I came up here in 2016 that if every word spoken was a concrete block, we would have hundreds of houses built around the country and there would be no problem because there would be more houses than we need. We must do everything and these houses are vacant. They are fine houses. The croí conaithe grant is great, but it takes too long to administer and there are too many loops and hoops to go through and get over. I thank the people who are administering it in Kerry County Council. They are great girls and they are doing their level best but it takes up to two years and many people are shying away from availing of the grant because the timeframe needs to be made much shorter.

I am asking the Government to do something to incentivise householders to rent out their houses. It should be something like the €800 tax free that was given to the people hosting Ukrainians. I did not realise until lately the Government was paying the €800. I am not asking for that at all and I want our own people to be seen after, but I am asking that house owners would get €800 tax free. There is also the €14,000 for those who rent a room in cities or whatever. That should be expanded. I am thinking of a scheme like that that allows people to not have to pay the tax or to get some help so they rent out the houses. These houses are not in what we might call populated areas but they have been grand and they could be grand if the house owners got help tax-wise or some incentive to help them go down the road of renting. If we got them at it they would stay at it but there is so much sour grapes about not being able to get people out of their houses when they want to get them out and the tax they would have to pay that they are not bothering to rent them out at all.

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan)

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. If there is a situation where there are 55 vacant homes in one town in Kerry that is not good enough and it is something we absolutely need to address.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae

That is only one road.

Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan

That is only on one road. It is something we need to tackle. We have the Croí Conaithe grant. That was an effort to bring more of those properties back into the rental market, but clearly we need to do more. My answer covers many of the situations where a house can be taken back from a tenant and covers some of the taxation, but obviously a lot of the tax matters the Deputy mentioned would be for the Minister for Finance. I will certainly bring it back.

I assure the House that as set out in the programme for Government, this Government remains focused on growing the supply of much-needed rental accommodation and commits to continuing its support for renters and landlords, along with tackling vacancy and dereliction with enhanced compulsory purchase order powers and an ambitious grant system. The Government appreciates a landlord may sometimes need to take back possession of their property. Where a tenancy is of less than six months' duration, a landlord is not required to cite a reason for any notice of termination. In general, after six months the landlord must state in the notice of termination one or more of the following reasons: the tenant has failed to comply with the obligations of the tenancy; the dwelling is no longer suited to the needs of the occupying household; the landlord intends to sell the dwelling within nine months of the termination date; the landlord requires the dwelling for own or family member occupation; vacant possession is required for substantial refurbishment of the dwelling; or the landlord intends to change the use of the dwelling. The Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2024, provides a tenancy dispute resolution service.

In 2024, my Department completed a review of the rental sector. This review noted clear challenges with the current system of rent controls while acknowledging the need to ensure the regulatory system for the rental market adequately balances the interests of landlords and tenants. My Department requested that the Housing Agency undertake a review to assess the operation of rent controls and it is expected that this review will be completed by the end of March 2025. The review will also consider the recommendations of the Housing Commission relating to rent regulation. Any potential future policy options that arise from this review will be considered by the Government. The Minister for Finance has responsibility for taxation measures but recent tax measures have been of benefit to the sector. These include the amount of tax deductible pre-letting expenditure being doubled to €10,000 in respect of a property that lay vacant for six months, which was reduced from 12 months; the introduction of the residential premises rental income relief to benefit landlords with relief worth up to €600 this year and rising to up to €1,000 from 2026; and the rent tax credit being increased to €1,000 per renter, backdated to 2024.

There are, therefore, measures there. I have set out the situations where a tenancy can be ended, but the Deputy is right. Most landlords out there have perhaps one or two properties for rent. They are not making extraordinary amounts of money out of it, but at the same time it has to make sense for them to stay in the market. That is why we have an issue. Many of these rental properties are being sold into private ownership and that may not necessarily be someone with a housing need or who is looking for a first home. We need to do it. We need to listen. We need to go back to the Minister for Finance and look at taxation, etc. This is an issue not just in Kerry but in west Cork as well and it needs to be addressed. We need to get vacant properties back into the rental market.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae

I thank the Minister of State very much for his reply. I know all the reasons he has given for why a tenant would have to leave, but in practice it is very hard to get that through and to get the house back. As I said about the road from Kenmare through Kilgarvan and down to within five miles of Killarney, it is just one road and I believe there are hundreds of houses, even in Killarney itself, that are idle. They are in Marian Terrace, St. Brendan’s Terrace and all those sorts of places in Killarney town and it is just because it is not worth the owners’ while to rent the houses. A fellow went to Australia for a year and said he wanted his house back, but he did not get it back for three years when he came home. Owners should not have to go through that; it is not fair.

We are here to help each other address the housing problem and there are so many different ways. With voids, as far as Kerry County Council is concerned, there is too much of a cost to fit out the houses. There was a house in Kilgarvan I raised lately, I think with the Minister of State, where the council demanded the chimneys be taken down. There was no need in the world for that as there were people in those houses up until a few months ago. They only needed to be painted, done up and whatever was needed. Why were bedsits ruled out in 2015 or 2016? Young people lived in them forever and a day until they were not allowed any more. At that time, people in bedsits just had the room and came out to the top of the stairs or somewhere and they all used the one bathroom. Now there is the facility of having an en suite and all those kinds of things. These people hardly turn on their sides in the bed before they are out of it again. They just want a place to change their clothes and lie down for a couple of hours before they get going again while they are young. We could take a lot of people off the housing lists. There are the kind of things we need to address, especially the voids and the reasons people are not renting out their houses. I ask the Government to please do that. It will have my 100% support to do that.

Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan

I thank Deputy Healy-Rae. He made some good suggestions and they have to be taken on board, especially his point on partaking in any reviews. There has to be a question of balance, in particular of tenants' rights. We cannot overdo it and take away tenants' rights. They are entitled to have a right of tenure so they are not in precarious situations. The regulation of landlords has to be balanced. It has to be worth someone's while to stay in the rental sector; otherwise, we will lose properties to private sale, etc., to people who may not necessarily need them as a primary home. That has to be taken into account, and the Deputy has made that point well.

Regarding vacant houses, we will have to make a very difficult decision. In tourism towns in my constituency, as I am sure is the case in the Deputy's constituency, there are rows of houses that are completely vacant. I am sure that, when canvassing, the Deputy knocked on doors and found about ten houses in a row where there was no one there. A lot of those houses are used for Airbnb accommodation and short-term lets. We need short-term lets. Places like Kerry need them for tourism - that is 100% correct - but we have to strike a balance. We cannot have whole streets taken up with Airbnb accommodation, which is what has happened in some towns.

Whether through taxation or other measures we take, I agree with the Deputy there are issues and people are having difficulties in renting out their properties. We may need to review the Croí Cónaithe fund or increase the number of grants available. Whatever we need to do to get these vacant properties into the rental market, we should do. I again thank the Deputy for raising this issue.

Control of Dogs

Deputy Erin McGreehan

I want to address an important issue which affects communities across the countryside, namely, the need for robust dog control legislation. It is required for many reasons, including protecting our livestock. Robust dog control legislation can protect our vulnerable livestock, such as sheep, from being attacked and killed by dogs. These attacks not only result in financial losses for farmers, but also cause immense suffering for animals. Such legislation would ensure public safety. Implementing dog control laws would help to prevent dogs attacking people, which can lead to severe injuries, and even fatalities, by holding dog owners accountable for the behaviour of their pets. It would also promote responsible dog ownership. All-inclusive dog control legislation will encourage responsible ownership practices, such as training, socialisation and the proper containment of dogs. It would make sure that dogs are traceable with microchipping, licensing, DNA databases and educating dog owners about their responsibilities and the potential consequences for irresponsible behaviour.

We have a responsibility in the House to promote and facilitate animal welfare. By preventing dog attacks on sheep, we will ensure the safety of our livestock. The devastating effects of these attacks not only results in economic losses for farmers, but also the immense consequences for those who witness such an attack. I have listened to farmers who have stopped sheep farming altogether because they cannot take it any more. They cannot mentally or financially take the hit of witnessing animals being tortured to death, brutally attacked and ripped to shreds.

We have to take proactive measures to protect our sheep and prevent these incidents from occurring over and over again. There is a commitment in the programme for Government in this regard. We have to implement stricter dog control laws. Those laws could help farmers by ensuring that they have the right to ban dogs from their land and commonage. In the Cooley Mountains in County Louth, farmers are tortured and run ragged trying to protect their sheep. Dog owners are not adhering to signage and do not care about farmers asking for no dogs in the mountains. They do not care about animal welfare. They are selfishly bringing dogs into areas with sheep and do not care about the damage they do. Quite often, they have the audacity to get aggressive when confronted about these issues. I find it absolutely shocking that people continuously do this. They do it because there are very few consequences. There are not enough dog wardens, and they do not have enough resources or powers. This has to change.

Earlier today, I spoke to Niamh and Eamonn Monahan, from Inniskeen, County Monaghan, who have had enough. After four serious dog attacks over the past five years, they have been incredibly vocal in local and national media about this issue. The photos of what the dogs did to their sheep are so graphic that one would genuinely think a bear had attacked them. They are absolutely horrific. Even the sheep that survived had complications when giving birth. A vet had to be on hand to perform C-sections and breech births occurred due to wombs being twisted. Nine of their lambs died before they were born. This is all down to the worry inflicted on the poor wee animals during the chase.

Farmers have had enough. Niamh Monahan conducted a survey which asked people about their experiences, to which 558 farmers replied. Of those, 409 had experienced dog attacks, including 88% of hill farmers and 80% of lowland farmers. They are asking for greater awareness for dog owners and the damage their pets can do. I ask the Minister of State to show the Bonzo advertisement on our screens again. It was really effective and most of us of a certain age will remember it. Just because it is old does not mean it is not effective. It was important, and showed that even the most placid dog can become a ruthless killer. We need to have dogs DNA tested when they are getting microchipped. A microchip needs to be connected to a licence to ensure we have a greater chance of checking dogs.

Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development (Deputy Jerry Buttimer)

Ar an gcéad dul síos, gabhaim mo bhuíochas don Teachta McGreehan as an rún seo a chur os comhair na Dála. I thank Deputy McGreehan for raising the matter of dog control legislation. I share the Deputy's sentiments. She has very eloquently expressed the concern of many people across our country. As she said, that 88% of hill farmers have had their animals attacked is an extraordinary statistic.

When we served in the Seanad last year, the Deputy introduced the Control of Dogs (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. As Members will know, the Government did not oppose the Bill on that occasion because all of us are in agreement that more robust dog control legislation is required. As part of the programme for Government, as the Deputy said, the Government has set out how it intends to provide for an enhanced approach to dog control issues. In this regard, all legislation and policy in regard to the control of dogs, dog welfare and dog breeding establishments will rest with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Discussions are ongoing between my Department and that Department to implement the transfer of functions in a timely manner. In the meantime, I am fully committed, as is the Minister, Deputy Calleary, to progressing work in this area.

The Deputy is correct; this is about responsible dog ownership, education and raising awareness. She referenced an advertisement. It is also the case that a pet is not just for Christmas. The recent introduction of a ban on XL Bully type dogs last July, in the interests of public safety following a number of horrific attacks, was a significant measure to enhance the control of dangerous dogs in our communities. The ban was introduced in two stages in order to give XL Bully-type dog owners who wished to keep their dogs time to obtain a certificate of exemption. There was a four-month period between October last year and February this year where these owners were able to apply for a certificate of exemption. In total, over 1,700 applications were received by local authorities for exemption certificates. Since 1 February this year, it has been illegal to own an XL Bully-type dog without a certificate of exemption issued by a local authority in which the dog resides.

Regarding developing more robust legislation, the Government will continue to support the ongoing discussions that take place at the dog control stakeholder group. The group was established in 2024 to consider and make recommendations to strengthen policy and legislative matters in regard to all dog control issues. It is independently chaired by retired deputy Garda Commissioner John Twomey. It comprises members with a broad range of expertise.

It is also important to note that the various issues that have been raised regarding dog control legislation are wide-ranging and complex. They require in-depth analysis and consultation to ensure amendments are not just robust but are also fit for purpose, can be implemented and will deliver the best outcomes for communities and dogs.

Deputy McGreehan has spoken very eloquently about animal welfare and the concerns of farmers in many parts of the country. She referred to the Cooley Peninsula in her constituency and spoke about the worry of the chase for animals. All of us who have pets and are involved in different parts of agriculture have to be concerned and support the thrust of Deputy McGreehan's Bill and what she is trying to do here. I commend her for bringing this issue to the attention of the House.

Deputy Erin McGreehan

I thank the Minister of State and acknowledge the work done in the past Dáil regarding the banning of dogs. I also thank him for acknowledging the Bill I introduced in the Seanad. I believe it is a good template for what we can do and work off.

I hope the Department of agriculture can take over this entire brief and for it not to be across the three Departments as it is at present. We need awareness and accountability with penalties. We need resourcing of dog wardens and to give them more powers. Most of all, we must ensure the welfare of both the animal, that is, the dog and the people it attacks is protected. It is not the dog's fault it runs after, scares, frightens, plays chase or attacks and eats a sheep. It is playing a game and acting on its basic instincts. We must remember it is human responsibility here and that is what we can legislate for and do a good job on.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

I thank Deputy McGreehan again and I share her view. It is important for dog owners to be aware of their responsibilities, not just for the public but also for their dogs. The Deputy is right; accountability, awareness and human responsibility must work in tandem.

In 2024, a major national awareness campaign entitled, "It's not your dog's fault, it's yours", was launched by the Department to alert dog owners to their responsibilities and to raise awareness of the dangers posed to people and livestock by uncontrolled dogs. My Department intends to launch a similar campaign in the coming weeks to reinforce responsible dog ownership from the perspective of harm to both humans and other animals.

Last year, my Department provided €2 million in capital funding to local authorities to expand and improve the dog pounds and dog warden facilities in addition to €2 million provided in 2023. In 2024, funding of €2 million to support resourcing of dog warden services for this year was also announced. This funding recognises the increased demands in the area of dog control and the need to ensure resources on the ground to enforce legislation. My Department also worked closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to publish a plain-language leaflet informing dog owners of their legal obligations. This leaflet was distributed last year to every dog warden, local authority and veterinary surgery in the country in addition to more than 100 animal welfare charities. I commend Deputy McGreehan on her work. We all have a responsibility and duty of care and I hope we can work together to ensure we get the outcome we deserve and all wish to see happen.

Family Resource Centres

Deputy Pat Buckley

Prior to last year's election, I attended a briefing at Carrigtwohill Family Resource Centre where I was humbled to hear about the invaluable work it does on a shoestring budget for people in need in this community. I had a positive engagement with the staff there and I commend them on their fantastic work in supporting the local community in Carrigtwohill and the surrounding areas of east Cork. Their work is vital for addressing social exclusion, poverty, assisting marginalised groups and providing equal opportunities to all.

Their work underlines the need for family resource centres and other community sector organisations to be protected and adequately resourced in order that they can continue to provide these invaluable services. An example of this can be seen in the €166,400 the centre received in core funding in 2024, which pales into insignificance when stacked against the average of €6,388 per week or €332,000 it costs the State annually to keep a child in care. The centre can point to at least four cases where it prevented children from going into care in 2024. The value of this one piece of work is in excess of €1.3 million.

Carrigtwohill Family Resource Centre is just one of 120 family resource centres in the country. It would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the State to replicate the work of family resource centres, certainly in purely financial terms. This work should be valued appropriately.

The Minister quoted a figure of €160,000 as a minimum core funding currently allocated to all family resource centres. To be honest, it is simply not enough. Shortfalls in funding hinder the centres' ability to meet the growing demand for their services. The challenges families face have become more complex and widespread, especially with the ongoing cost-of-living pressures and the housing crisis. As a result, the demand for family resource centre services has surged, yet funding has not increased to reflect this. Fergal Landy, the CEO of the Family Resource Centre National Forum, has lobbied for a minimum of €250,000 in core funding for each family resource centre in the programme. This is a more realistic figure than has been costed.

When family resource centres are properly funded, they can create lasting positive changes in communities by providing early intervention and preventative services that reduce long-term social costs. Investing in family resource centres can lead to significant cost savings for broader social services by reducing the need for more expensive interventions. An increase in funding would allow centres to recruit and retain qualified staff, invest in training and build an internal capacity necessary to better serve their clients. With many family resource centres operating understaffed and with limited resources, they are often stretched to breaking point, impacting the quality and accessibility of the services.

The Minister has also allocated an additional €800,000 to allow for the expansion of family resource centre programmes in budget 2025. While the funding and additional five family resource centres are welcome, the reality is we will have five additional underfunded family resource centres going forward. Quality over quantity needs to be prioritised here and I would appreciate if the Minister could give this issue urgent attention.

I normally do not read from scripts but I wanted to get it right. I have met people in many family resource centres in my time in east Cork and each and every one of them tells me the same problem. They are overstretched and overburdened with the demand for services. They just do not have the funding to cover services. I know there are people coming out of UCC and giving their time for free to counsel young kids in difficulty. I have met families that have gone through these centres that are an amazing achievement and are something we should really respect. That is why I raised this issue here tonight. I look forward to the Minister of State's answer.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Deputy Robert Troy)

I thank Deputy Buckley for raising this important issue and for offering me the opportunity to respond. As a former board member of the Cara Phort Family Resource Centre in my home village of Ballynacarrigy, I know first-hand the work these family resource centres undertake. As Deputy Buckley has outlined so eloquently regarding the resource centres in his own constituency, they really do invaluable work in the communities they serve.

In April 2024 the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth announced €1.5 million in additional funding for family resource centres. When I was a Government backbencher, I advocated quite forcefully for the need for additional funding for resource centres. The purpose of the allocation was to bring the core funding of the family resource centre programme members to a new base level of €160,000 in 2025 and to immediately provide additional funding for 2024 to the lowest-funded centres. The funding was intended to allow the centres to increase their staffing complements in some cases and to support the pivotal role the centres play in many communities. Some 54 centres around the country benefitted from this measure. Any future increases to core funding across the programme will be built off this new level.

The Minister, Deputy Foley, is aware the family resource national forum has expressed a desire for core funding of €220,000 to €250,000, as Deputy Buckley has highlighted today. Its rationale will be considered when planning for any future changes to core funding. Family resource centres will benefit from any further funding awarded to section 39 and section 56 bodies for pay related costs, and this will further increase the current core funding they receive. It is important to acknowledge that core funding of more than half the programme membership was already greater than €160,000 and in many cases, significantly so.

The Minister supports the vital role played by family resource centres, which provide a comprehensive range of services tailored to individual community needs at low or no cost to many clients. As part of a range of measures aimed at reducing childhood poverty, the current programme for Government commits to working to increase funding and to expand the capacity and network of family resource centres. In the context of expansion, funding of €800,000 was secured by the Department as part of budget 2025. The commissioning unit of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, will manage the selection process. Five new centres are expected to be operational by summer 2025, with core funding of €160,000 applying to each centre. Core funding is only one element of funding that family resource centres can avail of. Core funding comes from the Minister’s Department and is administered by Tusla, but many family resource centres obtain additional funding from other Departments, State agencies and private sources.

This allows them to expand the scope and reach of their services and to tailor them to the needs of their communities.

There are currently 121 family resource centres nationwide. They are usually located in disadvantaged areas and serve as vital hubs for a wide range of community activities, catering to all age groups from early childhood to senior citizens. They offer universal and targeted services, including information and support, education courses, counselling, community group development and practical assistance. They also address specific needs such as integration supports for Ukrainian refugees and international protection applicants. In partnership with Tusla, family resource centres operate a prevention and early intervention approach offering support to all children and families in their community, while also targeting those most in need and those at risk of harm. In 2023, 129,305 people participated in family resource centre initiatives, highlighting their importance in fostering social inclusion and lifelong learning.

Deputy Pat Buckley

I thank the Minister of State. He said the Department's work in this area is administered by Tusla. There are other trains of funding but the centres do not have the resources to try to pull money from each and every angle. I cannot stress strongly enough that the core funding must be increased. It is as simple as that. That will give the resource centres the ability to fully function. The Minister of State is well aware of the issues. We see a lot of instances in this country where something is working right but, if it breaks down, there is no support and then those services are lost. He knows that as well as I do. We have seen how beneficial these centres are in the communities they serve. If we are going on cost alone, I mentioned a figure of €1.3 million. That is a massive saving to the State but we would not look it as just that. The €1.3 million represents four people who did not go into State care and instead could live a normal life with the support of the resource centre in question.

I appeal to the Minister of State to keep this matter front and centre. I will revisit it in due course to see whether we can find any way of increasing the provision. If we lose these services, we will be in deep trouble. We have the most amazing people in these centres who are fully committed to this work. I have met most of them, from management through to the various staff. The welcome one gets comes with a cup of tea or coffee and a scone when one goes in and sits down to meet the people involved. The atmosphere there is electric and, at times, mesmerising. People do not realise how good a service it is until it is gone. That is putting it very politely. I appeal to the Minister of State to keep this issue front and centre. I will follow up on it with parliamentary questions to see whether we can build on what is something special. Instead of letting it wither, let us try to make it grow.

Deputy Robert Troy

I thank the Deputy for his honest and sincere contributions this evening. It is clear that he places a huge value, as do I, on family resource centres. The Minister is very pleased that 2025 will see the family resource centre programme expanding, with the provision of five new centres. That expansion is an imminent and very welcome development for the programme, its member organisations and the communities the new centres will serve. We must acknowledge that the previous Government brought the base level of funding up to €160,000. For the Cara Phort resource centre and the one in Athlone, that is an increase of more than €40,000 per annum in core funding, which is a most welcome development. The resource centre to which the Deputy referred is at the €160,000 level. We must acknowledge and welcome that.

However, we need to go further. I agree with him that while there are many other funding opportunities and streams, it takes time and effort for centres to access them. That effort diverts the attention of the staff away from the critical services they provide. They are working with people who are very vulnerable in their respective communities, with counselling provided right across the spectrum of age brackets, from early intervention to dealing with senior citizens. They provide an invaluable service. I would like to see the funding being made more streamlined, with a block grant given every year, in order that staff can concentrate their time and efforts on providing the services that are needed in their communities. I guarantee the Deputy that I will take on board his suggestions and relay them back to the Minister, Deputy Foley. I support what he has said. I raised my concerns in this area with the Minister in the previous Government, Deputy O'Gorman. I was pleased to see he took on board those concerns. We have increased the core funding to €160,000 but we need to build on that further. I will take what the Deputy has said this evening back to the Minister, Deputy Foley.

Schools Building Projects

Deputy Brian Brennan

I refer to a number of pressing issues relating to capital investment in schools in my constituency both in the provision of new buildings and upgrading of existing buildings. I commend the Department on the continuous roll-out of hot meals and free books. I welcome the commitment in the programme for Government to increased facilities for children with additional needs by establishing either new special schools or special educational classes to ensure children with additional needs get the support and resources they deserve.

I recently attended the opening of Gorey Hill Special School. It is an incredible facility and a textbook example of what is needed in special schools. It simply ticks every box. It has wonderful staff, satisfied parents and, most importantly, happy children being taught in a caring, state-of-the-art facility. Credit must go the drivers behind the school. I must mention Karina Daly and all the team at the Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board, WWETB, the school principal, Kerrie Wickham, the deputy principal, Aileen Roche, and the project manager, Padraic Flood, whose young son has been enrolled in the school. It was a joy to behold the pride on Padraic's face that day.

While this is a very welcome development and a shining example of what can be done in our educational system, following site visits I have questions regarding numerous current capital projects in my constituency that are either experiencing a stalemate in progress or are struggling to operate with the facilities available to them. In the case of Coláiste Bhríde, for example, plans are approved for a wonderful new school but there is currently no commitment to include work on a sports pitch. With more than 1,000 students, the exclusion of a functional pitch for outdoor sports would be a huge oversight. The Minister took time out to visit Gorey Community School. It is the largest school in Gorey but it has a serious problem with leaks throughout the building. The roof is a complete mess, posing a serious health and safety problem for pupils and staff. The school building project was given approval in 2022 but it has been delayed. Now, under emergency works, it has a quotation for €200,000. Why would the Department go down that route when there is already approval to have the roof fully replaced?

Another matter of concern is that we must support the upgrading of existing schools and facilities, whether they are in Kilmuckridge, Monaseed, Kilcommon National School or the development of a new all-weather pitch in St. Mary's College in Arklow. St. John's primary school in Arklow, which is categorised as a DEIS school, has no indoor PE or general-purpose hall. The management has been told the school's application for a PE hall will not be considered under the current funding module as the focus now is on providing classroom space. We need to give pride to DEIS schools. We must provide the best opportunities for each of these students. Gorey Educate Together school is providing an excellent educational service in an ever-expanding town but we need to see progress on the new school building.

It is essential that in the case of all approvals for new schools, we expedite the building process. Just as important is that existing schools must not be left behind in terms of their facilities. We must ensure all children get the education they deserve in the best possible environment we can offer.

Deputy Robert Troy

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Education, to outline to the Dáil the current position in relation to the multiple projects specified in the Deputy’s request, namely, Coláiste Bhríde in Carnew, Gorey Community School, St. John's senior primary school in Arklow and Bunclody Community College.

Since 2020, the Department has invested more than €5.7 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,150 school building projects. Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in the coming months, investments by the Department of Education are adding more than 550,000 sq. m of new and modernised capacity to our school estate. The length of time a project takes to deliver depends on several factors, including scale and complexity, and is subject to the time it takes to progress through the various design stages and the statutory approval process.

The Coláiste Bhríde project has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects. The project will provide a new build replacement school for a long-term projected enrolment of 1,000 pupils, including a four-class special educational needs base. The project is currently in the final stages of stage 2b, which is the post-planning process, and once this stage has been finalised and approved, the next stage is onwards to tendering and construction. The National Development Finance Agency will engage directly with the school authorities to keep them informed of the progress.

The Gorey Community School project was devolved to the school authority for delivery as part of the additional school accommodation scheme. The project brief will deliver five general classrooms, four special educational training rooms, one art room, one home economics room, one science room with preparation area and ancillary area. The project is currently at stage 1, which is early design, and the addendum report has been received by the Department and is currently under review. Once this review has been completed, the Department will contact the school authorities and advise on the next steps to progress this much-needed project.

St. John's senior primary school submitted an application for funding under the emergency works scheme for external environment works to its playground. The emergency works scheme operates on the basis of a minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation and on this basis, the school was advised to submit a revised scope of works with an accompanying itemised cost breakdown. Once this has been received, the emergency works scheme team will review the revised application and will engage further with the school as appropriate. The emergency works scheme team is aware of the urgent nature of the works required and will keep the school informed throughout the progress.

The Bunclody Community College project has been devolved for delivery to Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board to provide a new extension and refurbishment of an existing building. The tender short-listing process under the management of the ETB is nearing its conclusion. Once this process is complete, the project will progress to tender and construction in due course. Waterford-Wexford ETB will be engaging directly with the school authority to keep it informed of progress.

I again thank the Deputy for providing the opportunity to outline the Department of Education's position in relation to these four projects. As I have outlined, the Department will continue to engage with the relevant school and delivery authorities to progress these much-needed projects as quickly and as practicably as possible.

Deputy Brian Brennan

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I warmly welcome the word "engagement". That is so important for the key stakeholders, especially the principals of the schools. No doubt these issues are being replicated in many schools. I have to say that the initial response from the Minister and her Department has been very positive and engaging. Simply, joined-up thinking is needed in many of these situations and there is a need for common sense. To build a school for 1,000 students without a playground is simply ludicrous. To have a DEIS school in Arklow, St. John's, without a PE room is simply unfair to the children and the teachers. Based on my initial discussions, I really feel positive.

I want to finish on a very positive note. After 26 years in prefabs, the new school project for Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir is progressing to tender. As we move forward, we must ensure no other school must wait this length to have the basic facilities the children and the teachers deserve.

Deputy Robert Troy

I again thank Deputy Brennan for raising these issues, and for doing so quite forcefully on behalf of the respective schools and articulating their positions. The Deputy is correct in saying that it is so important when we are making these investments in the schools that we get it right and that we put in place the services the schools need and the pupils and the teaching staff deserve for their respective schools. It is critically important as well to continue to engage with the schools, as the school building unit does, to be fair to it, and to keep them informed. That is what the school authorities need to know. They need to know how their application is progressing. They need to know that if there is an issue that it has to respond to it in a timely fashion, so that it can progress through the various stages. It is not under my remit but the Deputy can be assured that the concerns he raised this evening will be relayed to the Minister, who will work with the officials to try to ensure we meet the expectations of the schools in question.

Cuireadh an Dáil ar athló ar 10.36 p.m. go dtí 9.12 a.m., Dé Céadaoin, an 5 Márta 2025.

The Dáil adjourned at 10.36 p.m. until 9.12 a.m. on Wednesday, 5 March 2025.