David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

The Acting Chairman might stop me when I am close to the time.

Last year, a number of parents approached me and told me that their children were on waiting lists for second level schools. When I inquired, I found that virtually every second level school in our area was full. According to my projection of the future, I discovered that there will be 1,480 extra secondary students looking for school places in six years time. Where are those children to go? I am aware of no plans to build new schools or to extend existing schools. As the Minister of State knows, getting a school up and running takes time. Further figures contained in projections made by the Department of Education and Science and the local authority are even more frightening.

Due to the rail link in Midleton, the way in which the county development plan was put together and so forth, there has been an explosion of housing, but there has been no provision for secondary schools. Primary schools are also under ferocious pressure, but it is just not good enough to add extra classrooms to secondary schools. Specialist rooms like woodwork rooms, science labs and so forth are required and must be properly planned and co-ordinated.

I contend that the Department must extend CBS Midleton this summer. It should also start planning immediately to build a new second level school in Midleton and another in Carrigtwohill. The local authority has done its bit by zoning the land, but the Department has not. We have been trying to get information and I have raised this issue in the House time out of number. My colleagues have also raised it in their own ways. However, nothing is happening. What are Deputy Michael Ahern and I to say to parents who, in two years time, approach us about there being no second level places for 20, 40 or 50 children? The situation will get much worse. If my figures are right, the relevant number will be almost 1,500 children in six years time. I have visited the schools and got numbers from all of them bar one. These numbers are frightening.

Glanmire, which is on the edge of the area, is also full and Cobh is under pressure. The Department has produced maps using the latest technology. East County Cork is one of the few areas in the country that are marked in bright red, which shows that the situation is serious. It is an emergency. The Department's maps indicate there will be a requirement for up to 64 classrooms in the east County Cork area, including Midleton, Carrigtwohill and Cobh.

I hope that the Minister of State will come up with something and tell us that someone is at least examining this matter and that there are some plans. As an experienced planner, he knows that drawing up plans, getting planning permission, the tendering process and then getting the building up and running take a number of years, but the situation cannot wait any longer. My colleague across the floor wants to speak, so I will allow him in.

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