Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Not at the moment. You are sailing close to the wind there, a Cheann Comhairle. On a more serious topic, this is going to sound rather unusual in that the meánscoil in Brownswood in Enniscorthy has been told it is going to get a new building on a new site. They do not want that. At a time when we have an issue with construction inflation and many of our projects being cancelled, what they do want is an extension, literally the physical amenity of a gym, that can be built by the current provider from which they lease the property. Being a meánscoil, it is not a simple thing to move this school. The catchment area is literally the whole of the county. What is being proposed is that it would be moved onto a site in the town of Enniscorthy. The belief, that is not being listened to, is that they will not increase the capacity of an Irish-speaking school where the predominant surrounding population are maybe foreign nationals and people who want to go to an English-speaking school. All we are getting back from the Department is that the site is purchased. I appreciate that but the site can well be utilised. It is not really suitable for a school because of the traffic management.

I have a number of other projects in County Wexford, including Kilrane National School which is looking for an ASD unit. I have the same with the CBS in New Ross, and Gorey Central School is looking for extra capacity, all of which would be covered if we put the project in Enniscorthy on hold, a project that is not wanted. There is a survey being carried out by the parents and school attendees who do not want to move. It is proven that there will not be an increase in capacity for pupils in an all-Irish speaking school to deliver education for the area in which it is going to be built. I ask the Minister of State to take that very seriously. We need to utilise the taxpayers' money for the maximum benefit of those who are paying it and those who are going to avail of it. We have a site purchased. We could consider maybe an Educate Together school but it is certainly is not appropriate to move the meánscoil there. I am delivering that message to the Minister of State directly because it does not appear to have got through. I am asking that we organise a meeting for the school to see if we can further its needs on the current site. Our national planning framework suggests we should utilise what we have and improve its carbon footprint. Ultimately, when this school is moved, if it is moved, that building is not going to be utilised for anything else. It is purpose built for the meánscoil and provided under lease to the Department. Many of its attendees come from the surrounding county. There is not a strict catchment area for the meánscoil. If we are making serious proposals about the Irish language, we should have it in a place where at least it will be supported, and that is not the town of Enniscorthy. Everybody, including most of the councillors, agree with that. It would be lovely to have a lovely new school but that is not the ask.

See this speech in context