Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for a comprehensive and favourable response. I wish to raise one issue, which seems to emanate from departmental officials and, perhaps, the Minister, and that is the focus on providing schools in areas where demographics dictate - in other words, areas where growth is occurring. I am sure the Minister of State, who has responsibility for rural development, will be concerned about this. While expanding populations in our commuter belts must be dealt with, if schools in rural areas are not given the opportunity to develop, young families will migrate to areas where there are better schools. Unfortunately, that is the reality in Stranorlar and other rural areas where school building projects have not been given the go ahead and families decided to put their children in other schools. That is wrong and there needs to be a shift away from this approach.

I welcome the response regarding Stranorlar school and the fact that the project can proceed to stage 2b, which is the detailed design phase and involves the preparation of tender documents. That is important and I ask the Minister of State to consider the demographics issue for smaller schools in rural areas in the context of her own brief. Perhaps she can link up with the Department of Education and Skills. She has a responsible and important role within government and I hope this Department and other Departments are listening to her input.