Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to have five minutes to talk on this really important subject. I commend my colleague Deputy Ó Ríordáin on such a comprehensive analysis which underscores not only his crafting of the motion but also his passionate presentation of it and his real interest in and his passion for education. He recognises, as we in the Labour Party do, how vital education is as a mechanism for true equality in this country, for achieving the breaking out of unequal society that I am afraid has endured for so long. We have very far to go based on the points Deputy Ó Ríordáin made about how segregated our education system still is on the basis of religion, gender and economic standing. We really need to do better. Segregated education is at the core of the divisions that have happened other societies, particularly multi-ethnic societies in Europe. We need to learn from that and I appeal to the Minister to accelerate all that she has done in that regard.

I had the privilege to serve in Cabinet with the late Niamh Bhreathnach. She also had a passion for programmes like Breaking the Cycle. As an educator, she saw how important education is as a tool to provide real opportunities for people to advance and create a society worthy of the Republic that was declared just over century ago.

I want to deal with some specific issues in my constituency from the long agenda that is there. There is an acute shortage of secondary school places in Wexford town. The town has five secondary schools, four of which are Catholic schools. They are St. Peter's College and Coláiste Eamonn Rís, catering for boys; Loretto Convent and Presentation Convent, catering for girls; and Selskar College, which is the Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board, WWETB, school, a much smaller one because of the confinement of its campus. We really need a fifth school. We rebuilt two of those, Loretto Convent and Coláiste Eamonn Rís, at a time when we had no money but we built hundreds of schools because we prioritised that at a time when money was really scarce. As money is not scarce now, I ask the Minister to provide the schools. We absolutely need the coming together of the WWETB in Selskar College with Educate Together to provide another 1,000-pupil school, a Community College for Wexford.

This would not only meet the needs of people who are displaced and have to travel to Enniscorthy, New Ross and further afield for places, but also provide people with a choice other than denominational schools, which are by far the only choice available to students currently. I ask the Minister to consider this programme. A site is being worked upon to get it done.

My colleague, Senator Wall, has the same types of pressure on him, being from a developing county with new people. People cannot take up positions in our counties because they cannot get school places for their children. Senator Wall tells me that there are significant problems with a lack of capacity in Kildare town, Newbridge, Maynooth and Celbridge, with many children being dislodged and unable to get places. New temporary accommodation for secondary schools at Magee barracks in Kildare town has still not been decided upon, despite how doing so would give parents certainty. I understand the Minister promised in early February that there would be a decision, yet there is still no word.

There are considerable issues with school places in a number of areas in Kildare. Senator Wall spoke to two families who, in the past week, had contacted more than ten schools, but there were no places for their loved ones. This is unacceptable. The Senator's colleague, Councillor Angela Feeney, told me that three schools were meant to move into a new school building in Celbridge – St. Patrick's Primary School, St. Raphael's Special School and Celbridge Community School. They are all in prefabs and still have no joy as regards the new building. The money is there. I have spoken to the Minister's colleagues on this point. She should use the surplus she has for capital works. This would be one-off spending – once the schools are built, they will be there – to provide proper infrastructure for our students.

Regarding halted school buildings, I wish to discuss Ballyellis National School in Gorey in my constituency. I asked the Minister about this matter via parliamentary question, to which I received the reply today. The situation is exactly as the Minister has said. This school was ready to go, with builders on standby. It is needed urgently, but people were told to stop. Now, the Minister is telling me the project is being re-evaluated and that people will be told sine die. That is not acceptable. Just give the go-ahead to provide these people with the school they need.

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