Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

A matter has arisen this morning in regard to the Christian Brothers Primary School in Wexford, which had a publicised closure to students this week because of a Covid outbreak. I emphasise the closure was for students because they were asked not to come to school, although all teachers and staff attended at school in order to provide online learning. This has generated poor publicity. The principal, Vicky Barron, and the board of management have the full support of the children and families whose health and safety they have prioritised. It is incumbent on the Department to address the fact that the HSE has not been forthcoming with the support required to prevent this action being taken. There are questions to be answered, primarily for the parents, teachers and the principal. Who is in charge? Who is responsible for a situation like this?

I will move on. The issue I raise today relates to the Christian Brothers post-primary school in New Ross, which wrote to the Department in 2017 requesting that the physical education, PE, needs of the children be addressed. There are more than 403 pupils in the school and they have no PE hall. Since 2017, the principal, Pat Rossiter, has received just two responses from the Department. The first was on 12 December 2017 from the then Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, stating that the application had been received. On 9 February 2018, a letter was received from the then Minister of State, Deputy Paul Kehoe, acknowledging that the sports hall application had been received.

I have been involved in this matter since my election 18 or 20 months ago and I have received the same reply to my correspondence several times. The most recent reply I received was in September. It states:

Under the national development plan, increased funding has been provided for the school sector capital investment programme. This funding allows for a continued focus on the provision of new permanent school places to keep pace with demographic demand and also provide for an additional focus on the refurbishment of existing school buildings to include the building and modernisation of PE facilities in post primary schools.

In addition, the national development plan states:

The strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock will have different strands to include those listed ... a PE build and modernisation programme will enable students in post-primary schools to have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision, particularly also in the context of the roll-out of PE as a leaving-certificate subject. Enhanced and modernised PE facilities will also provide important amenities for local communities.

That is brilliant but I hope it will be delivered. When will the Minister provide funding for a PE classroom or hall for the CBS Secondary School, New Ross, to ensure the school can provide its students with the learning facilities required to support PE as a leaving certificate subject? I ask her to make a statement on the matter. I also ask her to come to County Wexford in the near future and visit the Christian Brothers school in New Ross so that the principal, Pat Rossiter, can make that case to her and show her around.

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