Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. It is welcome this has happened. I and Deputy Clarke met with the school board and management a few months ago in regard to this issue. There is a real sense of having been ten years waiting for something to happen and so little progress having been made. If there is going to be a meeting with the patrons, that will be very welcome. I think the local authority has a role to play here as well and would be very open to assisting in any way it can. Sites and land are available on the edge of the town that would be suitable and could be worked into that programme. If a little bit of imagination were to be used, answers could be found that could deliver for everyone and that would work out for everyone, including the patrons, the owner of the present sites, the local authority, which needs land to build houses on, and especially the pupils and the parents. Every morning, there are hundreds of cars lining up along a narrow road trying to let children off to go to school. It is totally inappropriate in the climate we are in. It must also be remembered that many of the children coming to the school are from diverse backgrounds. The children going to that school now come from families from all over the world. We must see a proper school in place as soon as possible.

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