Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise on the Adjournment the situation faced by the pupils and teaching staff at Presentation Convent Secondary School in Mitchelstown, County Cork. The Minister may not have any personal knowledge of the school, but I assure him that from an academic point of view, it has an outstanding record and history. On an annual basis, a large number of students continue to third-level education, which one sees in the tables presented on an almost annual basis on feeding schools for third-level colleges. The Mitchelstown school is always at the top of that list among non-fee paying feeder schools. While academic achievements are important the school also offers a broad range of subjects. There is a strong sense of co-operation between parents, teaching staff and the pupils in this school which has a fine sense of purpose and place. It is a treasure in the Mitchelstown community and the north Cork area.

The school has an accommodation difficulty. It has approximately 274 pupils. Most of the building is old and it has no sports hall, assembly area or lunch room. It has only one science laboratory and because a high percentage of pupils take science subjects they have access to the laboratory only once every fortnight.

Over recent years efforts have been made to build an appropriate extension. In 1997 a formal request was made to the Department. In 2001 the school was advised of its entitlement to appoint a design team which it expected would lead to progress but unfortunately little progress has been made.

I appreciate that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is not the line Minister in charge of the project but I appeal to him to discuss this situation with the Minister for Education and Science and outline the importance of trying to push this project forward. The numbers for next September's intake are almost finalised but there are accommodation difficulties. The school was disappointed to receive a letter from the Department to the effect that its application for short-term, temporary or pre-fabricated accommodation was unsuccessful.

Ironically the school was also informed last week that it would not be included in the 2006 summer works scheme because a major project is on file. That project has been on file since 1997. It is disappointing that a small project to replace carpets and some other structural repairs has been rejected on the basis that a major project is on file. We need to see the major project up and running as soon as possible.

I urge the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to speak to the Minister for Education and Science to see if some type of temporary accommodation can be put in place for next September. It is not too much to expect that science students would have access to a science laboratory at least once a week or that there would be some type of assembly room and lunch room, facilities required in a modern school and that parents, pupils and teachers expect.

I thank the Minister for listening and I compliment all those involved in this school on flying the flag so high for education in Mitchelstown. It is a credit to the community. Informal discussions were held about the possibility of amalgamating the school to create an overall Mitchelstown educational project but the parents and students in the town decided to maintain the status quo and have a choice of schools. We need to give the accommodation in the Presentation secondary school the highest priority. I ask the Minister to do whatever he can to assist in that regard.