Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State for remaining in the House to take this matter. I wish to put forward the case of St. Joseph's secondary school in Rochfordbridge, County Westmeath. This school is unique. Rochfordbridge is a small village and the school has been built up over the years to the point where it now has 700 post-primary pupils, which is an amazing feat. It was built up by the work of the Sisters of Mercy who were there originally, and the parents who wanted it to succeed. The school accommodation report, which is the bible of planning in education, has stated that the school must accommodate 850 pupils in three years' time. Planning permission has been granted for a further 500 houses in the village and the sewerage scheme is being upgraded. Consequently, building will commence, which will increase further the demand for school places.

Although the school is supposed to take 850 pupils in three years' time, it cannot cope with the 700 pupils it already has. This modern secondary school is using two prefabs that are more than 20 years old. It is also using six classrooms in a converted boarding school, which was only intended as a temporary measure. The rooms are poorly ventilated and access to two of them can only be gained by walking through a third. Moreover, one of the rooms has very poor natural light.

A number of students require resource teaching and while the school wishes to acknowledge the provision of teaching hours for such students, its space is highly restricted. The same is true for the leaving certificate vocational programme, the leaving certificate applied, the transition year programme and of course the normal junior certificate and leaving certificate examination programmes. Each programme puts additional pressure on accommodation and on specialist rooms such as the computer room in particular.

As with all towns and villages in Ireland, the school's intake of non-national students, who require additional language classes, is increasing. The school wishes to emphasise that it is receiving the requisite teaching resources. However, it is not receiving the accommodation to go with them. For example, the art room is too small and storage space is necessary for project work. However, the school cannot extend the room as it cannot afford the space.

I am aware the Minister of State is standing in for the Minister for Education and Science. However, he is well able to so do, as was demonstrated by the passage of his legislation. This is a modern, interesting and good school that has served Rochfordbridge and the midlands in general. The school accommodation report published approximately two years ago stated that it should take 860 pupils by 2010. It now has 700 pupils and can barely accommodate them. How the school will manage to fit 850 students is a midlands mystery. I hope the answer to the mystery will be contained in the Minister of State's reply.