Lorraine Higgins (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, to the House. I know he is quite familiar with Loughrea, County Galway and how it has experienced a significant increase in its population. This has led to an increased demand on public services in the town and surrounding areas. This is particularly evident at Scoil Naomh Éanna national school, Bullaun, Loughrea, County Galway.

The school is a standard three-classroom built in 1959 with an increase in its enrolment from 39 pupils in 2000 to 187 pupils in 2013. Scoil Naomh Éanna urgently requires the construction of a new school building to help meet the demands of its increased enrolment. To help cope with the increase in pupils, the school's board of management purchased four prefabs, costing the school €100,000 a year in rent. Pupils are also being taught out of the school grounds in the local Bullaun hall. Parents of children at the school have raised concerns with me and other Oireachtas Members about the safety of their children going to school in Bullaun hall, as they have to cross and walk along a busy main road. To compound matters, the owner of the land on which the school was initially given consent to locate prefabs is now using legal action to seek the removal of the prefabs.

Further to this, the school's septic tank is now absorbing water from the water table. In the past year, it has been emptied and desludged several times. A recent health and safety audit condemned the system. The school principal has warned this is a crisis situation. The board of management has already applied for emergency works to be carried out on its percolation system. While funding has been sanctioned by the Department, the school has been unable to proceed with the project because of space restrictions and difficulties with planning permission. The school literally does not have the space to install a new system.

The board of management has had several contacts with the Department of Education and Skills for the past seven years emphasising this significant enrolment increase was unfolding and that a new school building was urgently required. In December 2006, an application was lodged with the Department of Education and Skills for funding major capital works at Scoil Naomh Éanna. The whole-school evaluation in 2007 resulted in a recommendation by an inspector that this funding be made available as a matter of urgency. In 2014, funding is still not forthcoming for a school building. Despite spiralling enrolment during the past seven years, the school has been banded 2.2 on the waiting list for funding from the Department. Given these circumstances, the school’s community is rightly concerned as to why it has not been given immediate priority for funding to build a much needed new school.

The patron of the school, Bishop John Kirby, has agreed to make a site available for the construction of a new school. A fund-raising drive by the school and parents in 2006 raised €35,000 towards what was then seen as a project which was highly likely to materialise. This is still in a deposit account gaining interest.

It is clear that Scoil Naomh Éanna does not have adequate conditions. Will the Minister of State outline any proposals for dealing with this matter? I hope this project will be expedited and that the Minister of State will use his influence in the Department so the people of Bullaun, Loughrea, County Galway, can look forward to a new school building sooner rather than later.