Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)

It is with a deep sense of frustration that I raise this issue. Children in the Donabate-Portrane area urgently need a post-primary school on the peninsula. The Department of Education and Science is well aware of the position and a decision to proceed with a school in the area is overdue. It is now a matter of urgency as we are approaching a crisis.

Over the years the Department has taken the view that the second level requirements of students from Donabate and other towns and villages such as Lusk and Rolestown and Ballyboughal can and should be met in established schools such as Loreto College, Balbriggan, St. Joseph's, Rush, Malahide community school and in Swords, Fingal community college, St. Finian's College, Christian Brothers and, to a lesser extent, Loreto College. In recent years, this list has extended to include St. Mary's, Baldoyle, and Portmarnock community school.

In September 2003, I had reason to raise in the House the circumstances of 160 second level students who travelled by rail from Donabate to schools in Portmarnock, Malahide and Baldoyle. Students carrying schoolbags were forced to jostle with other commuters to try to get through the doors of trains which were already packed by the time they reached Donabate. Some children were left on the platform when the train departed and on at least one occasion a student was thrown off the train on to the platform by a frustrated adult commuter endeavouring to get to work. While this sad situation has improved with the provision of additional train carriages, a repetition of such events is inevitable given the increased number of people using the rail service and the fact that no further capacity will be available on the trains for the next four years.

The population of Donabate, like most other towns in Fingal, the fastest growing area in Ireland, has increased substantially in recent years — Donabate's population is expected to increase from 5,000 to 25,000 over the next ten years. A recent door to door survey carried out by Donabate-Portrane second level school committee indicated that on the basis of the existing primary school population, 725 second level places will be required by 2007.

The boom in housing development in Fingal, without the necessary infrastructures, such as schools, is causing distress and havoc for parents. The schools which children attended over the years, such as Balbriggan, Malahide and other schools, are full of students from their immediate catchment areas. "Students from Donabate need not apply" is the message parents get when they phone the schools. That is a reluctant policy of the schools boards of management. It is patently obvious, therefore, that a crisis is quickly developing.

The Minister and the Department are fortunate in that a suitable site can be acquired from the local authority, Fingal County Council, for this school. In fairness to the council, the need for a second level school in Donabate has been identified and provided for in the development plans for the area. Following repeated representations on this issue, I received the standard reply that a new school planning model will be piloted in five areas, including north Dublin, encompassing Donabate. I have no doubt I will get the same response this evening. I am concerned that this planning model — to date we have received no indication when its interim report will be available — will be used as an excuse not to take, or to delay, the decision urgently required for Donabate to commence the planning process for a second level school.

It is important we do not delay this model process because, on the basis of previous reports, I believe a further consultation process could be set in train and it could go on for another year. Let us make a decision. It is patently obvious that there is a need for a school and let us give it the go-ahead. It could take another five years to provide it but let us get it started.

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