David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for bringing this Bill forward. I welcome it and offer my support for it. It is a welcome development that will undoubtedly create a better relationship between students, parents and school officials and will, all in all, create a much better environment in schools all around the State. Giving stakeholders a say is always the best approach in any scenario and so this legislation represents progress for all in the education sector.

I wish to revisit an issue I have raised in the House a number of times, namely, the need to provide a second-level Educate Together school for Waterford city and county. There are currently two primary-level Educate Together schools in the county. One is in Tramore and the other in Carrickphierish in Waterford. Once students have completed their primary education in those schools there is no follow-on for them into second-level education. This is unacceptable in this day and age and must be addressed by Government. To ask parents to seek out a different model of education for their children's secondary years makes zero sense and undoubtedly upsets the children's educational rhythm. There is an organised group of parents seeking the building of an Educate Together school in Carrickphierish and I again express support for their call. The Minister previously responded to me via parliamentary question in February that previous demographic exercises have not identified a requirement for a new school in Waterford city or county. However, the requirement for additional school places is kept under ongoing review and work on an updated exercise to assess needs for the coming year is at an advanced stage. My understanding is that since then it may be recognised that there is a need for an additional secondary school in Waterford, if not two between the city and the county. Carrickphierish is now earmarked for a significant increase in residential development in the next few short years. It is also an area bordering the industrial area of Waterford where global pharmaceutical companies, amongst other enterprises, employ thousands of workers. I extend an invitation to the Minister to come and visit Waterford over the summer recess period or at least to engage in a virtual meeting with the parents' group seeking the establishment of a second-level Educate Together school to see if it is something that can be delivered. As I said, there are hundreds of parents sending their children to a primary-level Educate Together school in Waterford and logic would dictate a second-level option should be made available to them. The Government should support that call and work with that group to ensure this happens. We live in a pluralist society and it is an option for more and more parents and they are taking it. The only way we can ensure that transition is available to them is to ensure that secondary school is supported and built at some stage in the future.

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