Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan. I thank the Senator for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the current position in regard to the major capital project for Gaelscoil Riabhach, Loughrea, County Galway.

The Senator will be aware of the demographic challenge facing the education system in the coming year. Primary enrolments, which have already risen substantially in recent years, are projected to rise by almost 37.000 pupils by 2016 and they are set to continue to rise, with a likely peak in 2019. In order to meet the needs of our growing population of school going children, the Department must establish new schools as well as extending or replacing a number of existing schools in areas where demographic growth has been identified.

The delivery of these new schools, together with the extension projects to meet future demand, will be the main focus of the Department's budget for the coming years. Loughrea, County Galway, has been identified as an area of demographic growth. In that context, the project to provide a new school for Gaelscoil Riabhach is included in my Department's five-year building plan and listed among those to proceed to construction in 2015-16.

The site acquisition for Gaelscoil Riabhach, Loughrea, is currently under way. The Senator may be aware that a memorandum of understanding between my Department and the County and City Managers Association was signed in 2012. This memorandum fosters increased levels of co-operation and formalises the local authorities' part in identifying and securing suitable sites for educational use. In that context, officials from my Department have been working very closely with officials from Galway County Council on securing a suitable site for a new school building for Gaelscoil Riabhach. I can confirm that a suitable site has been identified and the site acquisition process is at an advanced stage. However, as I am sure the Senator will appreciate, there are sensitivities associated with land acquisition which limits the information which can be provided. At this time I am not in a position to provide further information about the site acquisition.

In the interim, an application for office space was received from the Gaelscoil. However, it was advised that it was not possible to accede to its request in view of the general need to prioritise the provision of essential mainstream classrooms for demographic growth and the short-term need, given the inclusion of a new building for the Gaelscoil in the five-year plan. I wish to advise the Senator that, subject to no unforeseen issues arising, it is anticipated that the project for the Gaelscoil will be advanced into architectural planning with the aim of bringing the project to tender and construction as soon as possible. In that regard, the accommodation project brief for the new school building is currently being finalised and the Department will continue to liaise with the school authority on progress. I again thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to outline the current position in regard to the major capital project for Gaelscoil Riabhach, Galway.