Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

On 29 November 2006, the Minister for Education and Science announced 54 major primary schools building projects. She promised they could proceed to tender and construction and that many would be constructed over the next 12 to 15 months and that most would be started in that time. The tender process for Gaelscoil na Cruaiche, Westport, has not yet been completed. The promise was made before and during the general election. Gaelscoil na Cruaiche was the only school project announced for Mayo in 2006 but to date the tender process has not been completed.

The school opened in 1996 with provisional recognition and was granted permanent recognition in 2000. It has 206 pupils and 11 full-time teachers. It has a waiting list for admission for the next four years. The school is operating from rented premises, the third rented premises since the school started. The contract expires in June 2008.

A site has been purchased for the school and planning permission was granted. What is causing the delay? Why has the project not gone to tender? Will the tender process be completed before Christmas? We were told the sod turning would take place before Christmas. The premises will no longer be available in June 2008. It is an excellent school with excellent teachers but it needs a new building.

Is funding available or must this project wait until after the budget? Does the recent chaos in Dublin, where the authorities could not plan how many schools would be needed in the future, mean that the west must wait? Will the five or six schools promised for the west be built in Dublin and schools in the west left behind?

I hope the Minister of State, who is here in the absence of the Minister for Education and Science, will indicate that the construction project relating to the school will go for tender either next week or the week after and that the sod-turning ceremony will take place before Christmas. Most importantly, however, I hope she will indicate that a contractor will be appointed immediately and that construction will proceed.

The pupils and teachers at the school are obliged to endure terrible conditions. Had someone not obliged the school in a particular regard earlier in the year, it would not be open and that would be a disgrace. When will the project go to tender? Is the funding in place? Will the Minister of State indicate that there is good news for the people of Mayo?

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