Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, for coming in to discuss this matter. When the then Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, announced what was perhaps one of the most significant capital building programmes ever announced by the Department of Education and Skills in early 2012, the fact that three schools in Athenry were included in the announcement was greeted with much relief in the town and hinterland because the town has experienced significant demographic growth in the past decade, not alone because it is a burgeoning market town but also because it is becoming a dormitory town for the city of Galway. With the recent announcement of an almost €1 billion investment by Apple in the future of Athenry one has to expect that the numbers will continue to grow.

The list that was published by the then Minister, Deputy Quinn, in early 2012 was based purely on the demographic challenges faced by us at the time and that we continue to face in terms of responding to the needs of schools that were growing exponentially in terms of their enrolment. At the time there were three schools in Athenry on the list. One was Gaelscoil Riada, the second was the Presentation College and the third was Gairmscoil Mhuire. All three schools were listed at the time for new development. It was acknowledged at the time that finding sites for three such developments in Athenry would be difficult, and it has proven to be exactly the case. It has been very difficult to find or acquire sites and more than three years later, we are not yet at a point where definite sites have been acquired and are ready to go to planning permission for any of the three schools.

I have become increasingly frustrated with my engagement with the Department of Education and Skills in trying to garner some information from it as to where exactly we stand with each of the three schools. I will provide a quick overview of the current situation in terms of school enrolments in the three schools and the kind of facilities they have to work with. Presentation College has 1,200 students and teachers and it operates on a site of just under 2 acres, including 26 prefabs. It has no outdoor play area where young people can take part in any kind of sporting activity. Gaelscoil Riada has 285 pupils, with 53 more already registered for next year. All the classrooms are prefabs. There are no permanent buildings. The school occupies what was described as a temporary site more than five years ago. Gairmscoil Mhuire has approaching 700 students and staff, again on a very restricted site, with a seriously substandard building that has a flat roof suffering major water ingress issues all over it. I was in the school about two months ago and learned the school had to construct a very elaborate series of internal pipes to take away water that was leaking from the roof into the school’s internal water system, which it should not have to do.

All that the boards of management and the parents associations of each of the three schools seek is something that should be very easily given to them, namely, information as to where exactly we are in terms of acquiring a site for each of the three schools. The Department seems to be very reticent about sharing the information, despite the fact that in a small town the size of Athenry, everyone is very much aware of the landowners with which the Department is engaging and to a certain extent where the schools are likely to be constructed. The situation is very unfair, in particular on the boards of management and the principals of the schools who have to respond as best they can to questions from parents as to the Department’s plans and where exactly the development of their school lies.

I seek a simple response from the Department on where exactly we are at and how far away we are from lodging planning applications and acquiring sites for each of the three schools. I understand in one or two cases we are very close to completion of the preliminary stage and to getting under way. What is disappointing is the fact that despite numerous letters to the Department from each of the three schools in an effort to elicit some information, they receive nothing but silence or every now and then a letter which does not add any information to the information they already have. It would be great if the information vacuum could be addressed and a regular update could be provided by the Department on where it stands. That would serve to help the schools to address the many challenges they have in managing their schools on a daily basis and also in engaging with parents.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I apologise to the Deputy for the absence of the Minister for Education and Skills who, unfortunately, is unavailable this afternoon. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister, to clarify the current position on the acquisition of suitable sites to facilitate major capital projects for Presentation College, Gairmscoil Mhuire and Gaelscoil Riada, Athenry.

The Deputy will be aware that the country has experienced an unprecedented population increase in recent years, which has posed a significant challenge for the provision of school places. Funding under the Department's five-year construction plan is focused on meeting demographic demands to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place and that the school system is in a position to accommodate increasing pupil numbers. That involves prioritising school building projects in areas where demographic demand has been identified.

Athenry has been identified as an area of demographic growth. In that regard, major projects to provide new school buildings for both Gairmscoil Mhuire and the Presentation College that will cater for 1,000 pupils each have been included in the current five-year construction plan. In addition, a new 12-classroom school building will be provided for Gaelscoil Riada and a project for this school has also been included in the current five-year construction plan. New sites are required to accommodate these new school buildings.

The Deputy will be aware that the Minister signed a memorandum of understanding between her Department and the County and City Managers Association in 2012. The purpose of memorandums of understanding is to ensure a greater level of co-operation between the Department and the relevant local authority when sites for schools are being identified and acquired. In the case of the schools referred to by the Deputy, potential site options were identified by the Department working closely with Galway County Council. They were then jointly assessed from a technical perspective by officials from the local authority and from the Department. Subsequent to valuations being obtained, officials from Galway County Council engaged in negotiations with the landowner on behalf of the Department. In the course of the negotiations, discussions in regard to technical aspects of the development of the site arose and those issues required detailed examination at the time. Further to discussions on the matters, agreement has been reached.

I can confirm, therefore, that suitable sites have been identified, the acquisition of sites for the schools has been agreed, and the acquisition process is under way. Once the conveyancing process has been satisfactorily completed, the projects will be advanced into architectural planning. I assure the Deputy that the acquisition of new sites for the schools is a priority for the Department.

I again thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister, to outline to the Dáil the current position regarding the acquisition of sites for Presentation College, Gairmscoil Mhuire and Gaelscoil Riada, Athenry.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The response indicates that suitable sites have been identified for each of the three schools. That is what the reply states, namely, that the acquisition of the sites has been agreed and the acquisition process is under way. I would be very grateful if the information could be conveyed directly to each of the principals and boards of management of each of the three schools. Perhaps the Department could undertake an examination of its policy of non-communications with boards of management because that has been my experience of the way the Department interacts with school authorities. The Department seems intent on keeping people in the dark to a certain extent as to how things are developing, which serves to build distrust and a lack of confidence in the Department. The building unit works exceptionally well even though it has a very difficult job to do. In this instance it is working hand in glove with officials in Galway County Council. I thank them and congratulate them on the work they have done to date. However, there is a missing element, namely, ongoing communication with school authorities, teachers and parents to inform them of how the process is developing in each instance. It does not require daily or weekly updates but boards of management and principals deserve to be updated on a reasonably regular basis on how matters are progressing. I would be very grateful if the information that has been conveyed to me this evening would equally be conveyed to the respective principals and boards of management of each school.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I again thank the Deputy for his comments and I will certainly pass on his request that the information would be conveyed to the principals involved. The Minister is aware of the necessity to acquire suitable sites for the new school buildings required for Presentation College, Gairmscoil Mhuire and Gaelscoil Riada, Athenry, in the context of the significant demographic demand in the area.

Her officials will continue to further the acquisition process with a view to delivering the new permanent buildings as soon as possible. I also will contact the Department and ensure this information is passed on to the principals. I thank the Deputy.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State.