Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am particularly thankful to you, a Cheann Comhairle, for allowing me to raise this issue. It arose before Christmas, but due to issues outside everybody's control it was not possible to reach it until now.

This situation arose with the reconstruction of Maynooth Boys' National School, which is on a dangerous junction with heavy traffic. It is adjacent to Maynooth Post Primary School, which has recently been vacated and moved to a new site about half a mile away. That leaves the future of the existing premises to be dealt with in a number of ways. Incidentally, this has been agreed in general over the past number of years. Provision for a Gaelcholáiste was previously mooted and agreed at local level. There was also provision for a local swimming pool to be shared between Maynooth University and the local community, which is awaiting funding at present. The use of the facilities there by Maynooth boys' school on a temporary basis while construction of the new school is taking place was sought and agreed between the respective school authorities. There was no difficulty with that.

However, approval has not yet emerged. That is important because it is essential that in this area of heavy traffic a means be found to facilitate the local agreement between the authorities in Maynooth Post Primary School and Maynooth Community College, the two schools that have vacated the site. All that is required is access for the pupils of the boys' school while the construction work is ongoing, as well as access for the students to the AstroTurf site and recreational facilities. This is accentuated by the fact that, at present, the boys' school is a building site. It is extremely important that the boys gain access to their school independently and without crossing over the building site, which would not be advisable.

It is important to bear in mind that these matters have been agreed locally and without any difficulty. I am happy to report that since tabling this Topical Issue I received clarification by way of a reply to a parliamentary question to the effect that the Gaelcholáiste is agreed and is going ahead as was intended. The other parts of the submission I made remain to be dealt with in whatever way is possible, which will be very beneficial to the pupils of the boys' primary school, and to the local community in terms of the facilities that will eventually come on stream.

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