Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has said that anger is “palpable and growing” in Buncrana and Inishowen at the ongoing delays in securing a site for the new three school campus in Buncrana, catering for Crana College, Gaelscoil Bhun Cranncha and Coláiste Chineal Eoghain.
He was commenting after the Minister for Education, Richard Bruton again reported no progress, except to say that a preferred site has been identified and that negotiations are ongoing.
The Minister also failed to confirm if he will meet with Donegal ETB and local concerned parents and teachers.
Senator Mac Lochlainn said the Minister is well aware of the urgency in securing a site for the new three school campus and getting construction underway.
The Sinn Fein politician said “This is an outrageous situation. It is now over ten years and still the Government has failed to ensure that a site is delivered. It is long past time that they put in place a deadline for negotiations. There are options at the disposal of government when there is an overriding public need to sure land. They need to deploy those options if the deadline is not met.
“The current sites and buildings housing these three schools are not in any way adequate or appropriate. The parents, teachers and most importantly, the children and students need a solution. They deserve so much better.”
He added that they were generous enough to agree a joint initiative that should have made it easier and more cost-effective for the relevant authorities to get the one site in Buncrana and take it from there.
And he added “Their generosity has not been rewarded and now their patience has been exhausted.
“The Minister needs to put in place a deadline. He needs to make it clear that all options available to him and his department will be deployed and he needs to meet Donegal ETB and the parents and teachers as they have requested”.
QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the long delayed three school campus for Buncrana, County Donegal; if he will meet with a delegation of Donegal ETB in addition to local teachers and parents to hear their concerns regarding the long delay in progressing this project and the implications for the existing three schools and the school children; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
As the Deputy may be aware the project to which she refers is included on my Department’s capital programme.
A preferred site option has been identified and officials from the relevant Local Authority, on behalf of my Department, have engaged in discussions with the landowner in question with a view to its acquisition. Once the site has been acquired, assuming no issues arise, my Department will be in a position to progress the project concerned into the architectural planning process.
I have received a request to meet with representatives of the school authorities and a reply will issue shortly to the school authorities in respect of this request. I can assure the Deputy that all parties are working to bring this acquisition process to a completion as early as possible.
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