Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

It does not give me great pleasure to raise this issue in the House again. I refer to the problems faced by Gaelscoil na Cruaiche in Westport, County Mayo, which has more than 200 pupils. The school's principal, seven mainstream teachers, full-time resource teacher and shared learning support teacher have to work in appalling facilities. The lease on the school's current accommodation will expire later this year.

Some former Ministers, including the former Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Woods, made promises when they visited Westport during the election campaigns of 1997 and 2002. I recall that Deputy Woods said on local radio in 2002 that the school would be able to leave its current premises at that time. Everybody in the county, including Fianna Fáil's election candidates, was convinced that an announcement would be made the following week that a new building would be built on a new site. The only problem was that the money was not made available for the acquisition of a new site. I am reminded of the Abba song, Money, Money, Money.

The teachers and pupils of Gaelscoil na Cruaiche have to work in atrocious conditions. I am tired of being told by Ministers that negotiations with the Office of Public Works about the acquisition of sites in Westport are ongoing. As a former auctioneer, I know that it is not impossible to get a site in Westport. I can choose a site if the relevant authorities would like me to do so — the only thing that is needed is money. The parents, the board of management, the principal and the teachers will organise a public meeting this week and they intend to march to the Dáil. The school, which has 200 pupils, is a success story because families are prepared to send their children there. It has excellent teachers and an excellent principal, and many other people are also involved in the school. I was proud to see the school pupils taking part in the St. Patrick's parade in Westport.

What is the updated position? Has the OPW acquired a site? Has it had discussions with the town council? Is the problem related to funding or the site? I hope the Minister will be able to tell the principal, the parents and the board of management when the school will get its new site. Will the pupils and teachers be in a new school by September of next year? They must leave their present location because the school's lease is up and the owners of the property want them out. It is time we knew what will happen to the school.

I hope the Minister has good news. I hope the site has been purchased and that the negotiations with the town council are complete. I also hope that the necessary funding has been put in place by the Department of Education and Science.

The people of Westport and the surrounding areas have long memories. They remember the former Minister, Deputy Woods, visiting Westport and giving assurances that this school would be looked after. We are nearly at the end of the term of this Government and it will not be long until the election. The people of Westport will respond and they will have something to say to the Fianna Fáil candidate who visited the school with the former Minister, Deputy Woods.

As Minister, Deputy Woods visited Newport to promise a third level school there, but that never happened. He also visited the Westport Quay school. He brought an accordion on that occasion and sang the lights out. I told the local radio presenter that the song would be a best-seller but it would not be a No. 1 because the Government would not deliver on any of the schools. It did not deliver.

I hope the Minister has good news for this school. I hope he can tell me that the site is bought and the project is progressing to the next stage.

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