David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

I thank the Office of the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me raise this matter and the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Haughey, for coming in to address the issue.

I have raised the matter of the shortage of post-primary school places in Midleton, east Cork on a number of occasions in the House previously. Currently, there are four second level schools in the Midleton area, a number in Cobh and a number in Youghal. However, I want to focus on the situation in Midleton where the schools are full. I have done a projection of the future need, based on the enrolment figures in the primary schools. By the time the children from junior infants up to fifth class reach second level school, there will be 800 extra students looking for places in Midleton as some 20 primary schools feed into the town. The schools are full now, but as far as I am aware, there are no plans to increase the number of places at second level. A new school is required.

In April last year the former Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin, advised that the Department was in the process of identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation would be required at primary and post-primary level for 2009 and onwards. Can the Minister of State inform us what is happening in that regard or communicate with me afterwards on the issue?

I have been told that no land is zoned for a school in the area, but that there has been some communication between the Department and the local authority. However, not much seems to be happening. Already this year, students have been told there is no school place for them and I am afraid the situation will get worse. Some 800 extra children will come on stream in the next number of years as a result of the explosion in housing in the area, but no plans are in place to cope with this and no land has been zoned for a school. What is even more worrying is that when I asked the former Minister for Education and Science last February about enrolment trends, she said the information requested was not readily available in her Department.

I am aware there have been problems in the Dublin area in this regard, but it is now happening in the east Cork area. A new rail link is coming into the area and large amounts of land were zoned for housing. Houses have been built, but there is no provision for extra schools, although the schools in the area are full.

I urge the Minister to take this issue on board as a matter of urgency and to start planning now. I am sure the Minister realises that even if he cracks the whip in the Department today on planning, it will take five or six years before anything happens. The schools are full now and are talking about putting up prefabs. That may work at primary level, but will not work at second level because specialist rooms are required. It is much more difficult to cater for these with prefabs. There is also the question of health and safety. We cannot cram children into narrow corridors and schools with not enough room for them. The current schools were not designed for that. The issue is crucial.

I am here to advocate on behalf of the people I represent in east Cork in the Midleton area. There are also problems in Cobh and Youghal, but not to the same extent currently. I look forward to what the Minister of State has to say in his remarks and hope he has a Christmas present for the people I represent.

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