Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Mar chomhleacaí ó Ghaillimh, ba mhaith liom gach ádh a ghuí air in a ról agus a phost nua. Go n-éirí an t-ádh leis sa jab sin.

D'ardaigh mé an cheist seo ar son coiste tuismitheoirí scoil náisiúnta Thír an Fhia. Rinne an scoil seo iarratas ar thacaíocht le haghaidh athrú a dhéanamh ar fhuinneoga agus doirse sa scoil, mar tá an scoil i ndroch chaoi. Cé go bhfuair an scoil seo tacaíocht anuraidh le haghaidh córas teasa a chur ar fáil sa scoil, tá an teas sin anois ag dul amach trí fuinneoga agus doirse atá i ndroch chaoi le blianta. I raise this issue on behalf of the Tír an Fhia parents' group because the school there is in quite bad condition. The school is grateful that it got support several years ago to put in a heating system, but the problem now is that the heat goes straight out through the doors and windows because they are in such a bad condition.

Tá fadhb freisin maidir le cursaí sláinte agus sábháilteachta. Tá caonach liath ag fás ar na ballaí agus ar an síleáil agus bíonn orthu iad seo a ghlanadh agus a péinteáil go minic. Gach cúpla mí bíonn orthu seo a dhéanamh, agus níl an fhadhb dhá leigheas. There is a health safety issue also. Several children have asthma and there is mould growing on the ceiling. The only solution parents have is to paint it every few months, which is costing a significant amount of money. It is the dampness and the situation with regard to the windows and doors that creates such a dilemma.

The issue is the process with regard to the application they made. They submitted their application on a number of occasions, but have been turned down. They have appealed that decision. They have not been given a proper reason for having been turned down and see other schools in the area getting the assistance they need.

Tá mé ag cur ceist faoin gcóras atá ag an Roinn maidir leis an gceist seo. Cén fáth ar diúltaíodh iarratas na scoile seo? Cén fáth nár éirigh leis an athchomhairc? Cén fáth an bhfuil scoileanna eile sa cheantar ag fáil tacaíocht nuair nach bhfuil an scoil seo á fháil? Cloisim an chaint atá á dhéanamh maidir le cúrsaí airgid. Tugtar an leithscéal nach féidir go leor rudaí a dhéanamh ós rud é go bhfuil an buiséad teoranta ó thaobh scoileanna. Ní ghlacaim leis an argóint sin, i ndáiríre, go háirithe toisc go bhfuil €24 billiún curtha isteach sna bainc. Chualamar i rith na seachtaine go bhfuil €500,000 in aghaidh na míosa á thabhairt don chomhlacht atá ag plé leis na tolls ar na motorways. Tá an t-airgead sin á thabhairt mar chúiteamh ar an gconradh. Chaitheamar €30 milliún ar chúrsaí slándála nuair a tháinig an banríon agus Barack Obama ar cuairt. An bhfuil an Roinn ag rá linn go bhfuil an Banríon Éilís níos tábhachtaí ná na páistí scoile i dTír an Fhia? Má tá, ní ghlacfaimid le sin. Ní ghlacfadh muintir Chonamara nó tuismitheoirí scoile in áit ar bith leis an argóint sin.

The lack of funding cannot be an argument in this case. The Government had enough time and wherewithal to give the banks €24 billion; it was willing to give €500,000 per month to the company that runs the tolls on our motorways and spend €30 million on security for the visit of the Queen of England and President Barack Obama yet it tells me it does not have a few thousand euro to help fix windows and doors in a school that, according to the Department, is doing fantastic and exemplary work. If it tries to tell me that the Queen of England and President Obama are more important than these children I will not accept that argument and believe its priorities are wrong.

I welcome the Minister of State. Will he clarify the situation and tell the House what criteria were used in this application? Will the school be reassessed, reappraised and put back on the list, and is there a chance this funding can be made available in the very near future?