Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this matter and apologise on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, who is unable to attend the House.

From my knowledge of Ennistymon, Scoil Mhainchin is an important school and was established as a result of an amalgamation in September 2007 on the existing convent site. The Senator may also be aware of the three post-primary schools in Ennistymon that have agreed to amalgamate on the delivery of a new school building. This building project has been earmarked to be established on the convent site on which Scoil Mhainchin is located. The religious congregation that owns the property has offered to transfer the site to the State as part of its offer of a number of properties. The Government has agreed to accept the property in question and the Department, through the Chief State Solicitor's office, is working on finalising the transfer of the property. When the transfer has been completed, the Department will be in a position to further consider how the amalgamated post-primary school project can be progressed within the context of the available funding. Thereafter, the amalgamated primary school, Scoil Mhainchin, will be required to relocate to provide a clear site for the amalgamated post-primary school development. The current CBS post-primary site which will become vacant once the amalgamated post-primary project has been delivered is considered to be a suitable one for the amalgamated primary school, Scoil Mhainchin. In the meantime, the Department is providing rental grant aid for a number of rented prefabs for the school and this arrangement is the subject of a rental review. The Department has been in contact with the school authorities in the context of that review. In order to complete the assessment of the continuing need for all of the prefabs on the site, a technical site visit will be carried out shortly by the Department. Should a meeting with the school authorities be required further to that site visit, officials in the Department's building unit will be in contact directly with the school to arrange same.

I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to outline the current position on Scoil Mhainchin in Ennistymon.