Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

I thank the Chair for giving me the opportunity to raise this important issue with the Minister for Education and Science. I thank the Minister for coming to the House tonight. I have raised many matters on the Adjournment since I was first elected to the House, but this is the first time the Minister responsible has come here to respond to me. I appreciate the Minister's presence to listen to what I have to say about the gaelscoil in Clonmel. I know she has a great deal of knowledge of this saga, which I would prefer not to have to raise in this Chamber. I have asked many questions about it in the past, but on this occasion I will not be satisfied with answers which will not be carried through to fruition.

I would like to outline briefly the history of this affair. When South Tipperary County Council announced in 1997 that it was planning to stop using some office accommodation in the Irishtown district of Clonmel, it was suggested that the local gaelscoil, which had nowhere to go, be allowed to use the building. At the time, a divided council decided, against the wishes of the council management and engineers, to give the school permission to use it. As the building was not fit to be used as office accommodation, the county manager had recommended that it be levelled and the site used as a machinery yard. The members of the council did not take that recommendation on board, however — they agreed to the request of the parents and board of management in the school that the building be used to accommodate the gaelscoil.

The school authorities have been looking for permanent accommodation since 1997. When by-elections were held in the Tipperary South constituency in 2000 and 2001, public meetings were held in the local hotel and promises were made that a site would be acquired. The then Minister for Education and Science announced before the 2002 general election that a site would be made available to the gaelscoil — proof of this promise exists in the form of photographs which were taken with local representatives on the occasion of the announcement. When a further public meeting was held in 2007, Fianna Fáil councillors decided that they would table motions at local authority level favouring a site at the Ballingarrane estate, which is the property of the local council. They knew that the site would not be made available by the council, however. The management of this hugely successful school, which is supported by everybody in the local community, has been dealt with in a disgraceful and unfair manner. The parents, board of management and students are frustrated because they have been waiting for a long time for a new site, which is needed because the conditions in the current accommodation are extremely bad. They were hoodwinked in the past when various possible sites were mentioned.

I appeal to the Minister, Deputy Hanafin, to take this issue in hand by deciding where the school should be built. There are two possible sites, the Ballingarrane site I mentioned and a site on health board land, both of which are owned by the State. The latter site is owned by the Minister for Health and Children, under the auspices of the Health Service Executive. I ask the Minister to bang together the heads of the officials in the various Departments so that one of these two sites can be selected and a new school can be built. I understand that the necessary funds have been allocated and progress could be made if a site was made available in the morning. The manner in which this saga has been allowed to continue is unfair to those involved in the gaelscoil and the community as a whole. It is particularly unfair that the staff and students of the school should have to work in unsuitable conditions. I appreciate that the Minister has met various delegations about this matter, but she needs to bang some heads together so that a site can be identified and the new school can be built.

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