Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for providing me with the opportunity to raise on the Adjournment the accommodation needs of Bishop Ahern national school, Leamlara, County Cork. This school is unfortunate in that applications it made during the past 12 months in respect of both permanent and temporary accommodation were rejected. At present, 84 pupils attend the school. However, as it is situated in an area where major housing development took place in recent years, 23 new pupils are expected to enrol next September. Information available to the Department of Education and Science on demographic trends will show that there is a need to provide temporary and then more permanent accommodation at Bishop Ahern national school at the earliest possible opportunity.

In association with parents and community representatives, the board of management at the school made an offer to the Department to the effect that the local community would contribute 33% of the money required in respect of accommodation needs. I understand that in a reply issued to the school authorities last week, the Department rejected the offer to which I refer.

Members of the board of management requested a meeting with representatives of the planning and building unit of the Department so that they might have an opportunity to outline the short and medium-term requirements relating to the school. That request was rejected but I ask the Minister of State to bring it to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, with a view to revisiting it. Dialogue between the school board of management and the Department of Education and Science is the least we should expect and demand.

In the growing community of Leamlara there is a willingness through the board of management, the parents' association and so forth to provide a significant local financial input into the solution to this problem. That is something we should recognise, welcome and, I hope, respond to. The current position of the board of management is that it will resubmit a request for temporary accommodation and a request for permanent accommodation. I support those requests and hope the Minister of State will ask the Minister for Education and Science to respond favourably.

A large additional number of students is due to come on stream next September. The current structures within the school, whereby a general purpose room is being used as a classroom and therefore having an effect on physical education and other school activities, is not satisfactory and must be addressed. I look forward to some degree of flexibility on the part of the Department in terms of providing a reasonable response to a reasonable request from a local community.