Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for being here in person to deal with this matter, on which I hope we will see progress. This is a long outstanding problem which in recent times has descended into a farce. The situation with regard to primary school accommodation in Portlaoise is now a fiasco. It is likely that 80 to 100 pupils will have no school place in September. The Government still has not signed contracts to allow work to commence on a site purchased by the parish, at no cost to the State, at Summerhill on the Stradbally Road in Portlaoise. This would allow the long-awaited amalgamation of three town-centre primary schools, Scoil Mhuire, Sacred Heart and St. Paul's. Coinciding with this we will see the extension of a school on the west side of the town, Scoil Bhríde, Knockmay, and there is also the long-outstanding matter of the gaelscoil. Sadly, progress has been slow and I ask the Minister to intervene. The parish has invested €2.25 million in the project whereas the Department has not spent one cent. Rather than consulting stakeholders about its future, it has tried to force the gaelscoil into a half-built building at the site of the vocational school following the site's rejection by other primary schools in the area. This is a serious development and matter. Who is in charge?

Portlaoise's primary schools are beginning to resemble a prefab shanty town. More than 80% of the students of Scoil Bhríde, Knockmay, are taught in prefabs, but the school is being denied an extension. No one in the town has been consulted by the Department's officials, for which reason we find ourselves in this chaotic situation. Who is in charge and what plan is in force? The area is developing, but some of its children will not have educational facilities next September. Supposedly, this matter has been under way for ten years, but nothing is occurring. After this debate, will the Minister visit the town and meet me and my colleagues, Deputies Moloney and Fleming? If not in the town, will he meet us here? The situation cannot be allowed to continue. The Department seems to be shuffling paper from one section to another and avoiding decision making. Meanwhile, parents, pupils and all interested parties in Portlaoise do not know what will occur in September.

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