Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I second Senator Byrne's request that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport attend the House for a debate on supporting the participation women in sport. I was a surfer when I was growing up in Tramore, County Waterford, and I recommend more participation in sport.

I welcome the Government's announcement last week of plans to construct 42 new schools in areas of need across the country. Since then, however, we have heard many reports of the serious issues facing the principals, boards, teachers, parents and students in the 575 schools awaiting delivery of previous commitments to refurbishment, repair and expansion. Yesterday, I attended a meeting of the Joint Committee on Education and Skills to represent my colleague, Deputy Catherine Martin, who has been fighting for the Balinteer Educate Together national school, Dublin 14, as it tries to get its premises improved. I heard from this and other schools about the problems this causes. One in particular, Gaelscoil Chnoc Liamhna, County Dublin, has been waiting 22 years for the delivery of new school buildings. Trish McGinley, the chair of the school's board outlined to RTÉ's "Drivetime" on Friday the effect such unfathomable delays have had on the staff and pupils at the school, as well as the incredibly poor response they have received from the Department of Education and Skills in this regard.

I was contacted by Tramore Educate Together national school, County Waterford. The population of Tramore is rising exponentially. When I was a child, it was 3,000. In the 1990s, it rose to 6,500. In 2016, it stood at 10,381. Fortunately, the Minister recently turned around a proposed constraint on class intake. While this was welcomed, the school needs to move to a new site. There is land available close by and the Department has proposed that the school will have to split classes between two sites. This is not good for health and safety. I will raise this as a Commencement matter soon.

I am hearing from many schools about the lack of communication from the Department regarding building projects. Will the Minister for Education and Skills come to the Seanad to discuss the lack of communication between the Department and schools?