Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

The imminent building of a number of schools — there is a glaring case in my own area in Virginia, County Cavan — was announced during the previous general election, but as yet there is not a sod turned. Unfortunately, such sinister and cynical announcements are common in politics at present and this needs to change. We need objective criteria and fair, transparent tracking procedures. It must be clear to people where they stand in the pecking order, the reason they stand there and how the waiting system works. If we do not separate such announcements from narrow party politics, all confidence will be eroded. The Department of Education and Science should establish an e-mail address so that schools may access information about their position and what will happen at any time. The schools should know their ranking.

There has been poor planning for increases in population. In south County Cavan, which is part of the area I represent, there has been a population explosion due to the growth of the Dublin commuter belt. This has not been reflected by an increase in the number of school buildings. There should be co-ordination between the planning sections of local authorities and the planning unit of the Department of Education and Science as a matter of urgency. Schools must be built to meet a burgeoning population.

It is perverse and wrong that portakabins are taking up space in playing areas in schools and it is equally perverse that these cost significant sums of money in the short term. It is similarly perverse that we need distinct architectural reports and designs for individual schools. Several in-house designs at departmental level should be available instantly.

There needs to be an immediate audit of where we stand and a transparent system put in place so that for eternity — this will apply to my party in Government in the future — no party will ever engender mystique around the building of schools and no party can mollify and fool the people, who subvent these schools, into believing they are in a certain position and that political patronage is giving them their school. We need an objective process immediately. This is urgent and I congratulate my Independent colleagues on tabling this motion which merits a proper response from the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Haughey. The Minister of State should put his hands up, be generous and say that it is time to end the nonsense.