Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for what he has said so far. The Minister has been in charge of that Department only for the last number of months and I wonder if he is aware that this campaign for a sports hall for Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair has been going on for 25 years, since I came into this House. I declare a personal interest in the school in that I am a long-serving member of the board of management. If we added up the cost of all the parlimentary questions and Adjournment debates regarding Phobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair over these past 25 years, there would be more than enough money to provide a sports hall. Month after month, year after year there has been question after question by Deputies from every side of the House.

Is the Minister aware that this is an all-Irish school with more than 300 pupils and that every other community and second level school in Donegal has a sports hall, and some have two? Is the Minister aware that according to a national survey carried out by a national newspaper in recent months 100% of pupils leaving this school go to third level education and it is ranked tenth in the country? It is a great school and achieves all that despite the fact that it has no sports hall.

I have heard the Minister's answer today more times than there are beads on a rosary. This is a unique school. The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is providing almost €500,000 and there is a local contribution of over €100,000. We seek only €700,000, less than 1% of the Minister's entire capital allocation this year for school building. I ask the Minister to do the right thing. He has a grá for the Gaeilge. He comes from Cullen. This is an all-Irish school, and if the Minister does nothing else, will he allow it this year?

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