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Schools Building Projects Status

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 January 2019

Tuesday, 22 January 2019

Ceisteanna (35)

Martin Heydon

Ceist:

35. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the status of and progress on the new school building planned for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2744/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí ó Béal (10 píosaí cainte)

I raise a school issue of great importance in south Kildare. St. Paul's secondary school in Monasterevin has a major school building project, of which the Minister will be aware, as I have raised the matter with him since he took up office. As you will be well aware, a Cheann Comhairle, the latest delay in the project occurred in November. The project has been beset by numerous delays, not all of which have been of the Department's making. The latest delay in November was due to a legal challenge to the pre-qualification process. Teachers, parents and pupils in Monasterevin are desperate to receive assurances that the project will proceed as soon as possible. I would appreciate any update the Minister could provide for the House on this important matter.

Does Deputy O'Loughlin wish to comment also?

I will come in afterwards.

I appreciate the frustration on this matter and I will try to reassure the parents and the community. The major building project for this school is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, stage 2b – detailed design, which includes the applications for planning permission, fire certification and disability access certification and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been obtained.

The outcome of the pre-qualification process for the main contract has been notified to contractors who expressed interest in tendering for this project. Feedback and issues arising from this have resulted in a legal challenge to the pre-qualification process for the main contact from one unsuccessful contractor. This matter is being handled on my Department's behalf by the Office of the Chief State Solicitor. The Deputy will appreciate that as there is an ongoing legal challenge to the project, it is not possible for my Department to comment further at present. When the pre-qualification process for the main contract and reserved specialists contracts can be successfully concluded, the project will then be progressed to tender stage.

Regarding the site, legal representatives for both parties are working together with a view to concluding the conveyancing. There has been significant progress recently on foot of close and intense engagement from all parties. All parties continue the work to ensure the acquisition completes at the earliest possible date, and at this point it is still not anticipated that the completion of conveyancing will impact on the timelines for delivery of the building project.

The Department met representatives of the school last month to update them on the ongoing legal challenge and the status of progress on the project and will continue to engage with the school. I wish to emphasise that my Department is fully committed to getting the project delivered as quickly as possible.

I welcome the Minister's commitment that this is a top priority. That is what the parents, pupils and staff in St. Paul's want to hear. The principal and the chair of the board of management were resassured after meeting officials from the Department last month. Nevertheless, these are exceptional circumstances. I do not think I have ever come across a school project which was hit by so many delays for various reasons over the years. Just when we thought we could see light with construction commencing in the third quarter of 2019, as hoped, this latest legal challenge, which is outside the Minister's control, has caused further delay. We now need more prefabs in September, but there is no space on the grounds. What was once a hallway is now a classroom. The staff are excellent and there is a great spirit among the pupils in this school but many of these pupils entered first year thinking by the end of their six years, they would see a new school, and are starting to wonder if this will be the case. They require reassurance that this is the Department's top priority and everything will be done to progress it as soon as possible.

I add my voice to this issue. I had a meeting about St. Paul's in Monasterevin with the Minister and the forward planning unit in Tullamore. The situation in which the students and teachers find themselves is deplorable. Were this a private organisation or company, I do not doubt that it would be closed on several health and safety grounds. Some 160 boys have the use of only two toilets for the full day. There are no PE facilities or proper lunch facilities and there is a very bad situation regarding the use of their small hall. This has been ongoing for ten years. While Kildare County Council and the Department of Education and Skills have had to deal with several issues over time, the court date has now been put back three times, with the next date down for 28 January. The Minister can do nothing about that but this is a crisis for St. Paul's. The sod must be turned so that we know that the school building will happen. I understand that the land has not yet been signed over to the Department of Education and Skills and to St. Paul's. I and other Deputies have been reassured that this will not stand in the way of the school progressing, but we need reassurance on this matter.

I thank both Deputies for their interventions. Conveyancing is ongoing but I will outline the chronology of events which has contributed to frustration on this. The Office of the Chief State Solicitor is handling the matter on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. The first listing of the motion for return before the High Court was on Monday, 5 November 2018. The matter was adjourned on that date at the request of counsel for the Department until 26 November and by consent with the registrar to allow sufficient time to assess all options. On that date, the matter was adjourned for a further two weeks until 10 December, as the Deputies are aware. On 10 December, the matter was adjourned until Monday 14 January 2019. On that date, the matter was adjourned for a further two weeks until 28 January. It is anticipated that further adjournments will not be required, and I hope that is the case. The Department continues to liaise with the Office of the Chief State Solicitor on all options. Most importantly, my officials will remain in touch with the school. I thank both Deputies for raising this issue, which I am sure is also of interest to the Ceann Comhairle.

That is putting it mildly.

I thank the Minister for his response. There is great hope that there will not be further adjournments. There may be legal requirements and we must ensure that the Department's next move is the right one, as there cannot be further delays on this. People get very nervous when matters are in the courts in case they lose control of the process. Hopefully there will be no further adjournment on 28 January and we can get some clarity. It is important that the Office of the Chief State Solicitor and the Department work closely.

I acknowledge the Minister's point relating to significant progress being made recently on conveyancing; however, everyone will relax more when that is over the line. I hope that there will be significant progress on this by the time the Minister is next before the House for ministerial questions. This must remain a top priority because the staff and pupils of Monasterevin do not deserve this. We must work doubly hard to resolve this as soon as possible.

We hope to get things over the line and move on so that we can complete the pre-qualification stage. Then we can move into the tender stage, which takes seven to eight months. I and the Department officials will ensure that it remains a top priority.

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