Ciarán Cannon (Progressive Democrats)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Haughey, and thank him for taking this matter. There is a long-standing and proud tradition of second level education in Kinvara in south Galway. It is almost two years since the Sisters of Mercy, who operated a facility for 150 years, announced to the community in south Galway that they were no longer in a position to continue to operate it. After protracted negotiations, a commitment was given by the Government to step into the breach and provide a new second level co-educational facility in Kinvara to serve south Galway. That commitment was conditional on the Sisters of Mercy agreeing to continue their role in education in Kinvara until 2012 or such time as a new facility would come on stream.

The last time I raised this issue on the Adjournment, I was informed that the Office of Public Works had been requested to begin the process of identifying and acquiring a site for the school. I hope the response from the Minister of State will give me some indication that there has been progress in this area. There is a real concern in Kinvara that unless there is definite and concrete progress in identifying the site and in starting the design and build process for the school, the commitment given by the Sisters of Mercy may not remain as steadfast as it is at present. We need to see proactive engagement on the part of the Department of Education and Science and the OPW to move this issue on. It is extremely urgent that something is done in the near future.

There is concern among the community of Kinvara in south Galway that the momentum behind the provision of this school in May 2007 seems to have dissipated somewhat. The Department of Education and Science carried out in-depth research in the south Galway area, including surveys and polls of the number of children attending primary education. Following this research, the Department concluded that there was a definite need for a such a second level facility in south Galway and that it should be based in Kinvara.