Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I accept what the Minister of State has said but for a review to take five weeks and then be sent back to a board of management or school is an issue. I accept the Minister of State's bona fides to the effect that it is more than just labelling. I have read the document and the reply. The main thrust of it is labelling and how it is presented. There is not much about additional information. My concern is that it will take another five weeks to decide whether it is right. As a result of the increasing numbers attending Holy Family, the school is bursting at the seams and now is located at two sites. The Holy Family school was built with seven classrooms, although we now have seven classes squeezed into the existing building, with five prefabs on the grounds, and seven classes located at the White Star, which was formerly a hostel. The hostel is on the main street in Cootehill, far removed from the main building. It is not fair for these students to be asked to conduct classes and be educated in a building that was formerly a hostel. In order to make the best of an extremely appalling situation, they have now converted available space, such as the PE room and their small therapy rooms, to classrooms. As a result of the necessary alterations to the school, there is no space for visiting therapists. There is not even space to give children time-outs, a regular occurrence in a school like the Holy Family school. Apart from the main building itself, the senior school is in rented accommodation on the main street in Cootehill far away from the main building. It was formerly a hostel. In September there will be seven classrooms housed over three storeys with a total of 58 pupils and 22 staff crammed into every nook and cranny. These conditions are outrageous and appalling. The Holy Family school does not want to have to introduce waiting lists for the first time in its history. As the facilities are not able to accommodate all the children at present, undesirable measures might be taken in September and children might have to go onto a waiting list.

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