Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)

Tá mé féin agus mo chomhghleacaí, an tSeanadóir Ó Dochairtaigh, ag tógáil an ábhar seo maidir le halla spóirt a chur ar fáil do Phobalscoil Gaoth Dobhair. Bunaíodh an scoil i 1973 nuair a cónascadh Ard Scoil Mhuire i Machaire Chlochair agus an ghairmscoil i Sráth na Corcra. Bhí an phobalscoil á reachtáil idir an dhá fhoirgneamh go 1980 nuair a tógadh scoil úr ar shuíomh nua ar an Luinnigh. Osclaíodh an scoil sin ar 3 Bealtaine 1982.

Freastalaíonn an scoil ar pharóiste Ghaoth Dobhair agus ar íochtar na Rosann. Ar ndóigh, is pobalscoil lán-Ghaeilge é. Tá an scoil ag dul ó neart go neart ag cur chun cinn réimse leathan cúrsaí oideachais trí mheán na Gaeilge, réimse leathan spóirt agus cúrsaí cultúrtha. Faoi láthair tá 322 dalta ag freastal ar an scoil. Tuigim gur iar-dhalta den scoil é an tSeanadóir Ó Dochartaigh.

I and Senator Doherty wish to raise the urgent need for the provision of a physical education hall at Pobalscoil Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal, to proceed without delay. In 1985, the school's board of management was assured by the then Minister for Education that the project would proceed. In June 2006, some 21 years later, the go-ahead for planning, tender and construction of the hall was granted.

The parents' council has raised concerns, however, that the sports hall is not progressing as planned and may be removed from the Department's priority list. That would be an alarming scenario. The availability of physical education is a necessity to young people, especially teenagers given the growing incidence of obesity. It is important the school curriculum contains a daily physical education element. While I appreciate the Minister, Deputy Gormley, is not the line Minister, I know he will use his good office to impress our concerns on the Minister for Education and Science.

As I mentioned, there are 322 pupils attending the school, of which 165 are female and 157 are male. Those pupils deserve the right to physical education and they live in an area in Donegal where the weather is not as good, perhaps, as in other parts of the country. That is the reason it is so important to have an indoor physical education facility.

I understand there is a community dimension attached to the project as well, which is very welcome as the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is providing counter-funding to the Department of Education and Science to allow the facility proceed.

We are seeking an update today as the people from the area, the parents, the parents council, the teachers and pupils want this project to proceed. I am impressing today the urgency of allowing the project to proceed to tender and construction without delay. I hope this can occur in the very near future.

I thank the Minister for his commitment to Seanad Éireann this week. While others are abroad, the Minister, Deputy Gormley, is certainly looking after the home patch.