John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

That was an extraordinary answer. The Department of Education and Skills has told the school's board of management that it is prioritising areas of demographic growth for new schools. The population of Tramore increased by 7% between 2006 and 2011, with 30% of the population classified as being of preschool and school-going age. Over the past decade, enrolments in Tramore increased by more than 500 pupils and if this does not constitute demographic growth, I do not know what does. Incidentally, last August this project was authorised to proceed to stage 2b, meaning all planning and statutory approval had been completed.

In a letter to me last September, the Minister commented that he made contact with the school with the potential for further progression of the project. Incidentally, we still are waiting for a reply. In the course of the Minister's visit to the school, he suggested that despite having a site ready with full planning permission in place, the school could be accommodated in a place called the Stella Maris building, which has been rejected by the school and parents. In October 2011, the Minister wrote to me to confirm that the project was on the original construction list but this never happened. I ask the Minister of State to tell the parents, children and teachers of the school why this is the case, based on what the Minister wrote to me and based on the information he gave to the school, the teachers and the families.

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