David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, and the Department of Education for a very comprehensive reply. I note that the letter of intent was issued on 15 February by the Department for the school in Carrigtwohill Community College. That is almost three months ago. I would expect that this would be sorted pretty soon. The Minister is already on record stating that she wants this school to be opened by September 2023. I do not believe this is going to happen now.

The Minister of State, Deputy Burke, is aware of the plans to build thousands of houses in east Cork. The Minister of State is also aware of the fact that the Minister for Transport has blocked the road project there, which puts all of these houses at risk. This is a concern to me, to my colleagues and to the people in the area because housing is at a premium. If these houses go ahead we would need extra places. This is why I am saying that we will need to start planning for a new school now. Also, St. Mary's needs clarification from the Department with regard to extra accommodation that has already been granted. This is very welcome but it needs to be nailed down pretty soon for September, otherwise we will have another problem.

These schools are doing a tremendous job. The Minister has called out the enrolment of all these schools. There are more than 1,000 pupils in some of the schools, which is very big and growing. They cannot grow much further, however, as they do not have the space. We really need to act here pretty soon and start planning for the future. St. Mary's is completely landlocked at this stage and has permission to move to a new site. This needs movement pretty soon. St. Aloysius' College in Carrigtwohill also has permission to expand and build a new school there, which is badly needed.

There is so much to be done, but I must get back to my original point that when a child does not have a second-level school place at this time of the year - and this is not just one child, it is many children - it leads to stress, worry and consternation. We can see why parents would apply to more than one school because of the worry they have of not getting any place. I also raised the issue previously about the bus. Quite often a parent will take the school place that is not the nearest school because they are told that there is not a place nearer and that they are on a waiting list, which is a de factorefusal. If they get a place in the school that is further away then they may not qualify for the school transport there. I had asked the Department about this previously, and I am asking again now, that Carrigtwohill would be made one area and one school education centre for school transport purposes. The schools are only a couple of kilometres apart. That would solve another problem.

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