James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for affording me the time to discuss this very important issue in regard to an application by Lanesboro community college, Lanesboro, County Longford, for additional temporary school accommodation, namely, a general purpose classroom, a science laboratory, an office and a sports hall. The extended accommodation is necessary in light of the considerable increase in enrolment over the past number of years and, in particular, September 2012.

I am delighted to say that since I first raised the issue with the Department and since I spoke on the Education and Training Boards Bill 2012 some weeks ago, the Department of Education and Skills has made an allocation for two new classrooms at Lanesboro community college. This funding will allow for the replacement of an existing prefab and the building of an additional classroom. I welcome this news and thank the Minister for ensuring this dynamic and highly progressive school is to get a long-needed extension to its built environment.

Following the closure of the local convent in Lanesboro, which was amalgamated with the VEC, the school is bursting at the seams. The number of students is way beyond the capacity of the current building provision. In fact, for the past number of years, enrolment has been rising steadily. There has been an increase of 89 students in the past six years alone. Current accommodation is totally unacceptable to accommodate such numbers.

There is a severe shortage of classroom space to accommodate classes and to allow for subject options. Leaving certification physics, biology, chemistry, agricultural science and junior certificate science are all forced to share the same room. This is unacceptable in 2012, and I pointed this out on several occasions.

On a visit to the school in March of this year, I was shocked to see teachers having to conduct meetings with parents in corridors and hallways. As I am sure the Department took into consideration my many submissions, I do not need to stress that the current situation at the school is a health and safety concern. Classroom space is necessary to cope physically with the increased volume of students. It is also essential to facilitate teaching and learning within the school.

Apart from the overcrowding of the science room, the computer room is also a general purpose classroom. The school music room is small and very close to other classrooms leading to unacceptable levels of noise. There is no general room available for study during the day. The school office is too small with no privacy for the school secretary, parents or inspectors and is an unhealthy environment.

While I believe there are no current plans to fund a sports hall, the provision of physical education for the students is extremely difficult given the limitations of space and the complete lack of an area for indoor sports. I am sure the Minister is conscious of the urgent need to get all students involved in sporting activity in the interests of long-term health and well-being. We had reasonable success in the midlands earlier this year with our Olympians. For a second level school to be unable to provide for indoor sports for its students is an indictment of the Irish education system and a lack of awareness of the part physical activity plays in academic success and overall student development. I hope that in the not too distant future, I will be welcoming funding for a sports hall at Lanesboro community college.

The amalgamation of schools across rural Ireland was promoted not only as a cost-cutting exercise but as a positive benefit for students with resources to be centralised and improved. Certainly, the students of Lanesboro community college have not had such an experience until now. For them overcrowding has been a difficult and ongoing problem. This is despite the wonderful work carried out by the principal, Jimmy Flanagan, and his excellent staff with the generous assistance and support of the board of management, and in this regard I mention my party colleague, the mayor of Longford, Sean Farrell, Adie Farrell, who is synonymous with education in Lanesboro, Willie Dinnegan and the parents. With the backing of Department funding, their professionalism and goodwill can be matched by a more realistic school built environment.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Quinn. The fact the Deputy raised it gives us an opportunity to clarify the current position in regard to the application for additional accommodation at Lanesboro community college, Lanesboro, County Longford.

I am aware that enrolment at the school on 30 September 2012 was 176 mainstream students and 25 post-leaving certificate students. Enrolment at September 2011 consisted of 167 mainstream students and 65 post-leaving certificate students. This reveals a slight increase of nine mainstream students but a reduction of 40 post-leaving certificate students for the 2012-13 school year.

In November 2011, the VEC submitted an application for capital funding to the Department for a major extension at Lanesboro community college. However, the Deputy will be aware that in view of the very real need to ensure that a child has access to a school place, the delivery of essential mainstream classroom accommodation will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years.

The VEC subsequently submitted a revised application that focused on the need for classroom accommodation along the lines of the case outlined by the Deputy. To assist with the assessment of the school's further application, an inspector visited Lanesboro community college in September. On the basis of the inspector's visit, the Department approved funding to construct two permanent classrooms at the school. This decision was conveyed to County Longford VEC on 17 October 2012 and a formal letter setting out the level of grant and the conditions associated with the grant aid was furnished to the VEC today, so the Deputy's timing is impeccable.

County Longford VEC has expressed satisfaction with the grant approved. The responsibility for delivering the project has been devolved to the VEC and it will now be a matter for it to progress the project through the various stages from architectural planning to construction. The Department's letter of approval contains guidance that will assist the VEC in this regard. I thank the Deputy for giving me this opportunity to outline to the House the current position in regard to the application for capital funding for Lanesboro community college.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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As the Minister said, I made numerous representations to his Department about Lanesboro community college, and his comments are very much appreciated. I welcome the good news on behalf of the college and I extend my thanks and those of the college to the Minister. I will continue to work for the provision of a sports hall at the college, although I accept that the current economic climate makes such projects difficult to fund. I am also conscious of the physical and academic benefits of access to regular sports and exercise. This is very important at Lanesboro college.

I also welcome the news that Ardscoil Phádraig in Granard, County Longford, is to get four new classrooms. This is a very good day for education in County Longford. Much tough representation has paid off.

On a less positive note, however, I must refer to the ongoing fall-out from the failure to site the headquarters of the amalgamated Longford-Westmeath Vocational Education Committee in County Longford. As is clear from the records of the Dáil and committee meetings, there was an investment of approximately €2 million in Longford VEC headquarters prior to the announcement that the headquarters of the amalgamated Longford-Westmeath body was to be located in Westmeath. The cost-effectiveness and central location of Longford VEC was ignored for what can only be regarded as political expediency. Following the closure of Connolly Barracks, this loss was a massive blow to Longford. The annual rent paid by Westmeath VEC for its headquarters is €118,300 as opposed to a nominal sum of €13.33 payable on the Longford headquarters. This decision is surely not cost-effective. As I have said in the House, it appears that somebody needs to do their homework on this issue.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is over time.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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To refer back to the community college-----

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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The Deputy should have regard to other people.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I have not finished. To return to the facilities for Lanesboro community college, the sports hall is urgently required and I hope it will be given approval quite soon.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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With all due respect, the Deputy raised an issue and I replied to it. We should stick to our guns on this matter. The issue has been expedited satisfactorily and I know the Deputy will speak highly of the collegiality of his partners in Government when he relates this to the people on the streets of Longford. I sincerely thank him for raising this matter.