Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

As the Minister of State is aware, Ballygarvan national school is in a growing area of County Cork. Its present school is grossly inadequate, and it is unfair on the students, parents and teachers who have to endure a legacy and litany of broken promises, false dawns and new beginnings. We have heard the usual story a number of times. I am disappointed that the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin, is not present, as she should be here to answer to the people of Ballygarvan.

People are at the core of this discussion. The learning community of students, parents and teachers deserves to be educated, to have their children attend and to work in a campus in conditions that are acceptable in modern Ireland. The fundamental question is where we are in the process. Meetings have taken place, students are in prefabs and portakabins. I could list a litany of e-mails and letters I have received from parents. I have been at meetings in Ballygarvan where we have seen rat-infested prefabs, school books have been burned and students have had to go home to wash and put on clean clothes. The space and facilities are inadequate and this has been going on for almost ten years. The chronology has continued. When will building begin, when will it be completed and when will the students and staff move in? It is important we get the answers. Where are we on the purchase of land? The pupils, parents and teachers of Ballygarvan deserve a real answer and not just tokenism.