Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for giving me the opportunity to raise this issue and I welcome the Minister of State to the House. This is my first request to him and I hope he can give me an update on the position of Cahergal National School, near Tuam in County Galway. The board of management, the parents' committee, the teachers and the students of this school have been trying for many years to get a site for a new school. A site has now been purchased and is to be transferred to the Department of Education and Science. Can the Minister of State tell me when this can be done? It is important to get the site transferred so that we can work on the design and planning for a new school.

Cahergal National School has had an increased enrolment over the past few years. It is the only school in the north-east Galway area that has not had some improvements. Numerous schools did not receive any improvement during the last general election campaign, but thanks to the pilot version of the devolved grant scheme, many of those schools have since been improved and are in very good condition. However, Cahergal National School has been sorely neglected because they could not get a site. To compound matters, there was a fire in the school recently that caused further difficulties for the students and teachers. It is a health and safety hazard to allow the school continue in the current building following that fire.

I hope the Minister of State can provide an update on the progress of the school. A new site has been purchased, so the big issue is to transfer the site to the Department of Education and Science and start work on designing a new primary school in Cahergal.