Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Tom Hayes for giving me an opportunity to outline the current position maidir le Gaelscoil Chluain Meala. Tuigim go maith an gá atá ann le haghaidh scoil nua. I genuinely appreciate that the school has had to wait a long time for new accommodation. The Government will do all it can to acquire a site for the gaelscoil as soon as possible. The aggressive protest that took place during the election campaign earlier this year, which was mentioned by Deputy Hayes, will not affect my determination to do something about the need for a new school. Children were used in an inappropriate manner during the protest, which took place in Clonmel. While I recognise that there is a need for a new school, I do not believe any school should operate in the manner observed that day.

As the Deputy is aware, the property management section of the Office of Public Works, which generally purchases sites for new schools on behalf of the Department of Education and Science, was asked to identify potential sites for the gaelscoil. A number of responses were received after the OPW placed an advertisement seeking proposals for possible sites. Six sites were visited and their technical suitability as locations for the gaelscoil was considered. The preferred location for the new school development emerged as a three-acre site on the existing Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute campus, which is owned by Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute Limited. The institute proposed to the Department that its campus in Clonmel be relocated to a large-scale technology park. The relocation proposal was approved on certain conditions, one of which was that the institute should assist the Department in finding a site for the gaelscoil. As I said earlier this year, while this process is reasonably well advanced, it is taking longer than expected.

Given the urgency of the school's needs, the Department has started to seek alternative site options. The Department is committed to acquiring a site for the school as quickly as possible, regardless of whether the site is part of the Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute campus or at a location elsewhere in Clonmel. All sites are being considered as part of the efforts which are being made to bring this process to a conclusion. I thank Deputy Hayes and reassure him go bhfuilimid ag déanamh ár gcuid ar son Gaelscoil Chluain Meala chun suíomh ceart a fháil.

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