Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this important issue. The people of Ennis, parents, staff and pupils, are angry, frustrated and absolutely disgusted at the lack of progress in regard to the provision of a new school building for Ennis national school. Ennis is the county town of Clare, the tidiest town in Ireland, as we were told this week. It is the information age town of Ireland. It is supposed to be the fastest growing town in Ireland. Yet, the position of Ennis national school has remained unchanged for the past ten years — ten years of economic boom which has been squandered.

Ennis national school should be a model for all other schools in County Clare. It should the flagship school. Some 700 pupils attend Ennis national school, which has more prefabs than classrooms. This is a public disgrace. I recently invited Deputy Brian Hayes, the Fine Gael spokesperson on education, to Ennis national school. He was absolutely flabbergasted at what he saw. He said — and he was not exaggerating — that it was the worst case he had ever seen and he has travelled the length and breadth of Ireland. It is shocking that a school should have more prefabs than classrooms. It is not acceptable that pupils are being taught in prefabs and in corridors, that they are asked on a daily basis to attend a school that is clearly 20 years past its sell-by date. The principal, Mr. Gary Stack, is correct that Ennis national school is a monument to institutionalised neglect during the past ten years. The people of Ennis need a solution to the crisis that is Ennis national school.

As I stated earlier, the population of Ennis has increased by 25% since 1999. Ennis, a rapidly expanding area, is every bit as deserving of a school as Dublin, Kildare and Meath. The board of management has played its part. The Bishop of Killaloe has provided a site for playing fields and Ennis town council has rezoned a site for the school. I ask that the Minister for Education and Science visit Ennis national school with a view to moving this project to tender stage.

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