David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response which throws up a number of interesting points and questions. For instance, she stated that "the role of the Department is to ensure that all schools in the area can, between them, cater to school place requirements in that area". I am sure the Minister of State will agree with me that the wishes of parents must also be taken into account. If more and more parents want to move to a different model or patron, then the Department's role surely should be to facilitate that as well. She also stated that "the broader position in the Fermoy school planning area is that demographics at primary level are declining". They are not declining in this school but rather going the other way. The parents are demanding and asking for this. They want their children to experience the Educate Together model. That is what they are going for. It is really important we look at this. It is in a basement of a school and it is very cramped.

As for children with special needs, I see, in the very last line of the Minister of State's response, that the "Department will also continue to liaise with the school and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, regarding any requirements for accommodation for children with special educational needs in the Fermoy school planning area". The parents want to send their children to this particular school. As I said in my earlier remarks, it is an excellent school and one which the parents like. I visited it myself and I could pick up the professionalism and care of the teachers, as well as the positive atmosphere of the school. One can imagine what the school would be like if it was in a proper building, but it is not. The school is in a very cramped, overcrowded and old building which dates back to 1931. It is in the basement of that building, which is even worse.

I ask the Minister of State to talk to her colleague, the Minister for Education, Deputy Norma Foley, in this regard. I have spoken and written to her about this issue before. All we are getting by way of response here is the words "engage" and "liaise", but I want to see action. I want to see the Department come up with a plan here. Ideally, in the long term, I want to see a new school on the greenfield site but in the short term, I want a reconfiguration of where the school is. There is space outside for two temporary rooms to be put in place. There may be other solutions in the Fermoy area that could also be taken into account. I ask the Minister of State to bear in mind that this is a growing school with growing demand and that this is what parents want. It is incumbent on the Department and the Government to ensure they are facilitated.

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