Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, to the House. Before we begin, I welcome to the Gallery the women from the Irish Countrywomen's Association group in County Meath. I thank them for being here in Leinster House. I hope they have a very pleasant morning.

Vincent P Martin (Green Party)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. Tá fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit inniu go dtí an Seanad. Tá géarghá le foirgneamh buan a thógáil do Ghaelscoil Ruairí i Maigh Nuad. Tá an Ghaelscoil seo, a bunaíodh in 2019 le haghaidh oideachas bunscoile a chur ar fáil trí mheán na Gaeilge, suite ar shuíomh sealadach ar champas oideachais Mhá Nuad. Cé go bhfuil cead pleanála ag an scoil do shuíomh buan ar an gcampas ó mhí Lúnasa 2021, tá dúshlán fadálach le sárú ag an scoil agus tá gá le gníomh roimpi láithreach.

Faoi láthair, tá sé rang sa scoil, ó naíonáin bheaga go rang a trí, agus rang uathachais amháin. Tá 114 scoláirí ar na rollaí ag an scoil agus 30 eile cláraithe le tosú i mí Mheán Fómhair. Is scoil í atá ag forbairt agus ag fás go bliantúil go dtí go mbeidh sruth iomlán ranganna inti. Tá na scoláirí ag impí go láidir go ndéanfaí dul chun cinn ar an gceist phráinneach seo gan mhoill. Tá sé in am gníomh a dhéanamh agus ní leor gealltanais.

I am disappointed the Minister for Education is not present but I respect and appreciate that her absence is unavoidable. The school community at Gaelscoil Ruairí has a message for her, which I ask the Minister of State to convey. The message is that the time for words is over and the time for action has long since passed. The then Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, officially opened Gaelscoil Ruairí on Friday, 24 November 2023. On that occasion, she committed that the project for a permanent school building would go to tender by this summer. Unfortunately, the publication and issuing of that tender has not been forthcoming from the Department. The issues arising from the lack of space in the temporary school buildings continue to be a cause for serious concern. The ongoing costs associated with servicing a temporary school building are significant and do not make sense.

I commend Gaelscoil Ruairí on successfully opening a special class for autistic students last year. In doing so, it has provided support that is urgently and desperately needed by parents in the surrounding area who were struggling to find any appropriate school place for their children. The school principal, all the staff, the board of management, the parents and, most important of all, the pupils deserve to be commended. They have defied the odds. The school is a huge success. All involved are doing their best and are progressing heroically. The school is cherished in the local community. It is the pride of the community.

However, the school is being stymied in taking the next steps. In education, time cannot be taken back. Every day is precious. The parents and board of management have expressed to me their deep frustration that, after all their great work, the next steps in their journey have been inexplicably protracted, with delay after delay.All they want is a simple issuance and publication of the tender and to take the next steps they richly deserve to take. It is not too much to ask. Gabhaim buíochas.

Vincent P Martin (Green Party)
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As the Minister of State said, you would think the difficult part was getting planning permission. That is long since secured. A permanent building with sufficient facilities and indoor and outdoor space would do so much to support the students and others, including the staff, and provide stability, facilities and space so the school could naturally grow and accommodate more students with additional educational needs. Delaying the tendering for a permanent building will only result in additional costs to the State and displace students who require additional supports and who are being let down and whose school experience is not what it should be.

I am asking the Minister of State to talk to his colleague, the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, and to please give us that assurance. We are not looking to the past; that is for another day and there should be an investigation about this delay. We are trying to look forward here and to be positive. I am asking the Minister of State to do all using his influence and power and to talk to his fellow Government Minister.

This system will have to be overhauled. We have a school community here doing heroic work. It is really keen and anxious and it deserves to take the next steps but it is being held back by red tape in the Department and it is just not good enough. I thank the Minister of State for his presence today and ask him to talk to the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, to get things moving and translate words into action without any further unnecessary delays. Gabhaim buíochas.