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

Before the Leas-Cheann Comhairle starts the clock, I would like to say that I would have hoped that one of the Ministers of Education would be here. Romance is in the air tonight and there is important business on outside the Dáil in terms of people's romantic lives, but there are three Ministers and I had been hoping one of them would be here. I trust that the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, will take back the information and see that it is followed up on.

The issue I want to raise is St. Fergal's College in Rathdowney, founded in 1937. It still does not have a physical education, PE, hall 86 years later. It is the only secondary school in the county that does not have a PE hall. In 2010, the then Department of Education and Skills approved a plan along with extra classrooms. The classrooms were provided. They were constructed but no hall, because the money has not been provided since.

Planning permission is in place - this is important - and the board of management and Laois County Council have ensured that that is rolled over and has been kept up to date. This is a shovel-ready project.

This school is located in a rural area in Rathdowney. What is important about it is it serves a large catchment area of Durrow, Cullahill, Arles, Borris-in-Ossory, Knockaroo, back around to Cuddagh and taking in Ballacolla. However, that catchment areas does not have a sports hall in the community either.

These are the facts we are dealing with. The school population is increasing and it has excellent staff. I have visited the school many times and it has really committed staff who are doing their best to provide first-class education but they need to have the facilities. There are 330 pupils in the school now and this number is expected to increase by 16% in September, based on 2021 figures. There are Ukrainians to be housed in the town, for whom modular homes are being built. They will need school places and hopefully they will be accommodated. I know the people of Rathdowney will do their best in that regard.

The school currently has a small general-purpose hall that I have visited, which serves as a canteen, a meeting room, an assembly room, a storage room and a multitude of other uses. It is totally unsuitable and too small for any meaningful PE classes. There is also another issue. Leaving certificate PE, which is now an examination subject, cannot be provided at the school. The school cannot provide it because it does not have a PE hall. There is also the issue of disabled persons' access and use. In a school of this size, there will be pupils with disabilities and we must treat those children equally. That is what this is about. St. Fergal's College has a strong tradition in sport, particularly in hurling, and people in the midlands will know that south Laois is the strong end of the county where the hurling is very good. St. Fergal's College has played a key role in camogie, Gaelic football, soccer and athletics over the years. We know the benefits of physical activity. We know how important this is in terms of countering obesity and for the promotion of good health in children. I have raised this matter many times with the Department and the Minister for Health. It is a question of funding. We have been told we must wait for phase 2 of the national development plan, which is due to kick off later this year. Will the Minister of State ensure the case is brought back to and pushed forward by the Government in order that this school is treated properly and this project gets under way?

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