Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her reply and I welcome the fact that she has confirmed that the option of a new building is being explored. This is an issue upon which I and my colleague, Deputy Patricia Ryan, who also covers that area, receive many representations from parents. If one looks at that school, it has come from the amalgamation of Scoil Mhuire and the Christian Brothers school in the late 1990s and it opened in August 2001. St. John’s vocational school joined it at that stage, so it is an amalgamation of three schools. There are many prefabs in the school. Portarlington is a commuter town which has grown and the school currently only has a capacity for 750 students. There is serious overcrowding which has caused many problems and this is a very difficult operation to carry out. There is an enrolment of more than 1,003 at the moment. It is good to hear the Minister mention that the figure of 1,300 is being considered as being required. It is disappointing to hear that it is stuck at stage 1 within the school building programme which is very early stages as the Minister and I know.

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