Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

More than 50% of accommodation at Athenry national school is prefabs, some of which are 20 years old. This school is supposed to be at the top of the list in County Galway but they do not know what this means. Does the Minister know what it means?

Scoil Mhuire, Oranmore, a lovely school, is doing fine work. However, the teachers' desks are located in the corridors owing to a lack of space in the classrooms. The school is overflowing. The Minister will be aware of Doughiska which has a population of 8,000 and no school. The children from this area are attending surrounding schools which are overflowing and cannot cope with the pressure. They believe there should be more forward planning.

Blennerville national school, Tralee, referred to by my colleague, Senator O'Toole, has been condemned for some time following a health and safety audit. Each child is due 15 sq. ft. of space. Children at this school have only 7 or 8 sq. ft. of space. This legislation will only be enforced in respect of new school buildings. Like many other schools, staff at this school believe they were duped by pre-election promises when brought to Tullamore and given letters of commitment. The same applies in respect of St. Mary's and St. Gerard's national schools, Enniskerry.

Gaelscoileanna in particular are in bad shape building-wise. Gaelscoil Dara in Galway city has existed in prefabs for the past 26 years and has only recently acquired its first site. Gaelscoil de hÍde, Oranmore, of which I am intimately aware having considered sending my children there, opened in 1994, received permanent status in 1998 and still is in negotiations in respect of a site in 2008. This school, which has 200 children, was classified last year as a band 1 school. Some €750,000 of taxpayers' money has been spent on prefabs for Gaelscoil de hÍde. That is very damning. It is outrageous that 200 children must attend a school located on only a half acre site. Lunch breaks must be staggered to ensure the children can play safely in the yard. Current rent for the school is €125,000 per annum. How much of a mortgage would that amount have serviced?