The Department of Education schools building files, released under the Freedom of Information Act, offer a revealing insight into how a guarantee can become a promise and then a hope, before it finally drops over the edge.
On February 11th, 2002, the minister for education, Dr Michael Woods, telephoned the principal of Gaelscoil Charman in Wexford to tell her that work on a new school was going ahead.
On January 23rd a Department of Education official, Mr Camillus Hogan, had complained in an e-mail about the promises to the Wexford school.
"The situation is now so serious that I believe our authority is being totally undermined. It is difficult to keep up the morale within Building Unit and something urgent will have to be done," he told the assistant secretary, Mr Martin Hanevy.
On the following day Mr Hanevy warned senior Building Unit officials that no commitments could be entered into if they exceeded the budget awarded to the Department.
The frustration levels in the Building Unit mounted in early February, as Dr Woods announced approvals for schools in Limerick, Kilkenny, Cork and Donegal.
In a hand-written note in the margins of a note from the Minister's private secretary, Mr Keith McMullen, Mr Hogan complained: "There was no consultation with the Building Unit about these projects."
However, the pressure in Wexford was mounting, too. The Gaelscoil had already told the Department of Education that it was going to be evicted from its premises in June.
On February 5th parents and children attending the popular school held a day of protest, attracting considerable local media attention as focus mounted on the general election to come.
On February 8th school representatives and parents met the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, although he made no promises.
On February 18th the local Fianna Fáil TD, Mr John Browne, was unequivocal: "I am pleased to inform you that Minister Michael Woods TD has announced the go-ahead for the building of a new school in Wexford town."
On April 19th the minister replied. Two days previously he had secured a €19 million supplementary budget from his fellow cabinet ministers to fund the promised buildings.
Tenders for Gaelscoil Charman would be "invited without delay" once the tender documentation submitted by the school's design team was examined, he told Mr Dempsey.
By June the Department was still examining tender documentation. "Professional and technical staff are currently examining tender documentation so as to ensure that tenders can be invited without any delay," wrote Ms Jane Kelly of the Primary Building Unit. Although still settling into his office, the new Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, quickly put paid to lingering hopes when he published for the first time the Department's list of building priorities.
On October 10th Mr Frank Wyse, principal officer, Primary Buildings, wrote to the school's principal, Ms Aine Ui Ghionnain, to say that architectural planning was "at a very advanced stage".
"A decision in regard to a project at Gaelscoil Charman proceeding to construction will be taken as soon as possible, at which time we will be in touch with your board of management on the matter," he wrote.
The letter was enough to set off alarm bells, but any remaining hope of speedy progress went quickly out of the window when a letter arrived the following day from the new Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey.
"An extensive building programme for 2002 has already been approved and published. It is not envisaged that the proposed building project at Gaelscoil Charman will proceed to construction in 2002," he declared.
"Later this year when a financial allocation has been made for the primary school building programme in the 2003 Estimates I will be framing a further comprehensive programme of works that will proceed to construction, and the school concerned will be one of those considered for inclusion in that programme."
