Donie Cassidy (Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

I ask the Minister for Education and Science to purchase a new site for the Mercy secondary school in Kilbeggan, County Westmeath, as a matter of urgency. A deputation from this school met the Minister on 1 February 2006. The school principal, Ms Catherine Moynihan, two sisters from the Mercy order, as well as Councillor Tom Cowley, Senator O'Rourke and I met the Minister to highlight the opportunity that would be presented in the Kilbeggan area. The Sisters of Mercy, who have been in Kilbeggan since 1893, have made an immense contribution to the entire area by taking on the challenge of educating the children of the area when it was not fashionable to do so. I represent County Westmeath and want to make a strong case for this school on behalf of students, parents, teachers and the board of management. The current school, which has stood the test of time, has 22 exits. The time has long past for the construction of a new school because the educational needs of second-level students should be paramount. A CSA report published in May 2005 noted that the existing site offers little scope for expansion or refurbishment and recommended that the school should be relocated to a greenfield site as a matter of urgency in order to cater for increased enrolments and new housing developments in the catchment area.

The Sisters of Mercy have generously agreed with the board of management and teaching staff to make available a ten-acre site located a mere 200 metres from the existing site at a reasonable price. We all know the construction of the M6 from Kinnegad to Kilbeggan has caused the price of land in the area to shoot through the roof. This opportunity may not present itself again. As a Government Deputy for County Westmeath, I urge the Minister for Education and Science to avail of the offer being made by the good sisters.

Kilbeggan is located between the gateway towns of Athlone, Tullamore and Mullingar and this school's reputation in terms of its comprehensive curriculum is second to none. The school's rural catchment area of Kilbeggan, Rahugh, Tyrrellspass, Castletowngeoghegan, Dysart, Streamstown, Durrow, Ballinagore, Bohar and Horseleap contains decent and hard working communities which deserve to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the sisters to the Department. The board's provision of lifelong learning opportunities represents a significant contribution to the area's communities.

There is an urgent need for a technical assessment of the new site. Enrolment at the school was 301 in 2000, rising to 400 in 2006, and an enrolment of 500 to 550 is projected by 2010. Any fair minded person would have to agree the current opportunity will not be available next year because the road will by then be opened. I call on the Minister to give urgent consideration to this request and to bring the matter to a conclusion as quickly as possible so the people of the Kilbeggan area can be assured of a new site.

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