Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I take this opportunity to congratulate the Leas-Cheann Comhairle on the great and singular honour of completing 44 years service to this House.

I speak on behalf of the people of Kanturk and ask the Minister for Education and Science the current position on the amalgamation of the two national schools in Kanturk. This proposal has been ongoing between the Department and the boards of management of the two primary schools since 2001. In many cases amalgamations have been proposed by the Department rather than on the ground, but in Kanturk the boards of management have been willing to ensure the amalgamation between the boys' and girls' national schools takes place. The technical assessments have been carried out on these schools and I understand a further technical assessment took place of the buildings this summer.

I am delighted the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon, is here as he has special responsibility for the OPW and I understand the Department is to liaise with it in sourcing a greenfield site. What is the position in that regard? Kanturk is a growing town and it has been shown that the current facilities are on too small a site. Some 200 houses are at construction stage in Kanturk and the extended school is necessary to ensure the proper education of the young people of the town.

Kanturk is signalled as a decentralisation town and the regional office of the OPW, the departmental responsibility of the Minister of State, is earmarked for Kanturk. I believe a site has been earmarked for that office and negotiations are ongoing between the OPW and the site owners to finalise the details on it.

Kanturk is a growing town with a great spirit. It is a local provincial town, the capital town of Duhallow, with a good community spirit. We would not like to see the growth of Kanturk held back in any shape or form as a result of not having proper primary school facilities. As I said at the outset, the boards of management of both schools have been willing to work with the Department of Education and Science on the amalgamation plans. Sadly, the Department has not supplied the desired information in recent years. I ask the Minister of State to outline to the House the detailed proposals which have been made to date. He should emphasise to the Minister and the Department the importance of ensuring that this project goes ahead as a matter of urgency. Many stages of the planning process need to be completed speedily before the amalgamation can take place. A new greenfield site needs to be bought so that the project of constructing a new educational facility in Kanturk can be progressed as soon as possible.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to raise this issue. I would like progress to be made in respect of this matter, which is of great importance for Kanturk, as speedily as possible. I congratulate the Leas-Cheann Comhairle on completing a record service in the House.

Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am pleased to outline, on behalf of the Department of Education and Science, the position regarding the proposed amalgamation of St. Colman's boys national school and Scoil Náisiúnta Chlochair, which are the two primary schools in Kanturk, County Cork.

St. Colman's boys national school, which had an enrolment of 106 in 2004-05, is staffed by a principal, three mainstream assistants, a permanent learning support teacher and a permanent resource teacher. The enrolment of Scoil Náisiúnta Chlochair, a girls school that enrols boys in junior and senior infants only, has increased in recent years from 156 pupils in 2000-01 to 170 pupils in September 2004. It is staffed by a principal, five mainstream assistants and one permanent learning support and resource teacher.

The authorities in both schools are in favour of the amalgamation and the preferred option locally is for a new school building on a greenfield site. A technical assessment of the existing sites has accepted that there is a need for a new site, as neither of the existing sites lends itself to the development required to facilitate the amalgamation.

The proposed project has been assessed and banded in accordance with the Department's prioritisation criteria, which were revised last year after consultation with the education partners. The provision of the accommodation that is necessary to facilitate agreed amalgamations is assigned a band 1.4 rating, which will positively influence the timescale for the delivery of the project when a site has been acquired.

The long-term projected staffing on which the accommodation needs of the amalgamated schools will be based will be determined by officials from the Department of Education and Science in consultation with the two school boards. A detailed assessment of demographic trends, housing developments and enrolment trends will be undertaken to ensure that the capital funding that is provided will deliver accommodation that is appropriate to the needs of the amalgamated schools into the future. When that has been decided, the appointment of a design team for the project will be considered. The project will then be considered for progression in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2005-09.

I thank the Deputy again for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the position on the proposed amalgamation of the two national schools in Kanturk.