Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Apologies. I am raising an issue about a school. It is the second time the Cathaoirleach has allowed me to raise this issue about the purchase of a site for St. Peter's national school in Dunboyne. It is a pity I am here a year later because it is not just this year, it is over ten years at this stage.

St. Peter's national school is the first Church of Ireland denominational school established since the foundation of the State. It plays a very important role in an area of severe demographic pressure in Dunboyne. It caters for people from all over south Meath and students from west County Dublin. I spoke to Senator Barrett, who is a member of that parish. He was unable to stay for the debate but he is certainly aware of the issue and is also putting on pressure. We really need to know what is happening. The parents are very frustrated. They are in very cramped accommodation on a very dangerous piece of road in the village, in a completely unsuitable situation.

There seem to be huge difficulties with the purchase of a site in terms of what sites in the area are zoned for educational use. If the Department cannot very quickly secure one of those sites, it will have to look somewhere else. What seems to be happening is that the small number of people who have educationally-zoned sites are playing extreme hard ball with the Department and it is about time the Department decided to put the interest of the students first, which I know is their interest, and find a suitable site for them somewhere, in conjunction with Meath County Council.

This matter is going on too long. The parents are in limbo. They do not know what is happening. They want their school and they are entitled to it. I do not get too many calls nowadays about schools because many schools were built by the previous Government and by this Government, which we are happy to see. It is very unfair on this school, which is relatively small but which serves a very important demographic. They need their site and they need to be up and running and then left to do their own thing, which is teaching their children and bringing them up as good citizens of this country.