Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is the concern. We talked about data earlier. We also discussed regional development and what needs to be done there. The data that is available from the EU Regional Competitiveness Index shows that in the context of infrastructure, the west is in the bottom 7%. That speaks for itself.

One of the projects I am very concerned about is that relating to Ballinrobe Community School. The Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, and I met with the relevant officials a couple of weeks ago, together with some local councillors from the Minister's party to discuss the absolute need to deliver this project because the school does not have the capacity to take on the students it is being asked to take on in the coming year. The school is asking the students to operate at a particular level when it does not have the resources that are needed to allow them to do so. As matters stand, it absolutely maximises the resources it has in order to make use of every square inch of available space. The school first contacted the Department about this matter in 2017 when it received projections relating to the number of students it would have to deal with in the future. Since then, members of new communities have come into the area. That is being embraced, but the school needs to be able to do as I have outlined. That is just one example.

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