Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

I wish to raise an issue regarding Ballyraine national school which was brought to my attention in recent months by the school board of management. Lobbying in this regard has been ongoing since 1984. The board of management began some months ago to try to move the refurbishment project forward and they have tried to make this process as non-political as possible. Last Monday week, they met privately with the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy McDaid, and with Deputy Keaveney. In addition, they held a public meeting at the school, to which I and Deputy Blaney were invited. They are trying to keep all the parties together on this issue. The major theme on the night was that the school cannot continue to allow the pupils to suffer the experiences they have endured. The major theme was that they can no longer accept these conditions — lack of space and a lack of basic infrastructure to create a proper learning environment — for their children.

Guarantees have been given across the political spectrum at local level to bring the lobbying process to fruition by early 2005. The Minister's reply to parliamentary questions from various politicians have been consistent, namely, that the project is at architectural stage. The school and the board of management want the project to be brought to advanced architectural stage within the next few months, with the possibility of it going to tender in 2005. The board of management encompasses a wide range of people from different backgrounds who have a common goal. The common goal is that this project, which dates back to 1984, a distant memory, must be brought to fruition.

One of the main features on the night of the public meeting was that it was not just present day pupils and their parents who attended, past pupils and their parents were also invited. There were two generations in the same prefabricated building, and the message was clear. I want to bring to the Minister of State's attention that the timeframe must be given top priority. These people have done their own fund-raising and implemented short-term measures by bringing in new prefabs and so on. They feel they are being discriminated against for keeping things in place, sellotaping or putting band aids on the problem. It appears there is a good school system in place but I believe they are being discriminated against for keeping the building in a good state of repair.

While it is the Minister, Deputy Dempsey's, brief, I know the Minister of State will convey to him my concerns. I want to put on public record that this is a non-political lobbying process, which has received backing from all parties. The project dates back to 1984, when I was just beginning secondary school. That is how far back the issue goes. These people deserve some timeframe or indication of when the tendering process will begin. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply.