Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. I refer to an Educate Together national school in Dún Laoghaire and the need for permanent accommodation for Gaelscoil Cholmcille on Oscar Traynor Road.

Representations have been made by Councillor Deirdre Kingston of the Labour Party in Dún Laoghaire asking for progress in the acquisition of a permanent site for a new Educate Together national school in Dún Laoghaire. It is currently located in temporary accommodation which is not fit for purpose. It is cramped for students and not a very positive learning environment. There are no indoor facilities or spaces in which to engage in exercise or movement, with the result that in bad weather children must remain in the classroom for the entire school day.Furthermore, the temporary accommodation is located beside a special school for children on the autism spectrum. We will need to consider the impact more children starting next year and more noise will have on their learning experience. The school is located on a small residential road and traffic is a problem now. Next year there will be bigger numbers. The area immediately around the school is also very unsuitable and unsafe when walking with young children. There are missing pathways, no safe crossings and narrow roads, on which traffic reverses.

Councillor Kingston understands the Department has been reviewing a site for about a year. The question we are asking is where is this site and when does the Minister expect construction to begin. Furthermore, the Department recently bought a site in Blackrock. For what will it be used? Will it be used for the new Dún Laoghaire school? It is important that the Minister prioritise this site and move to tender stage. The demand for school places in Dún Laoghaire is huge and every year parents are worried about what school their child will be able to get into. We need to do all we can to meet demand and ensure every child will be assured of a school place in his or her community.

I appreciate that the Minister of State is here to discuss the Educate Together school in Dún Laoghaire and look forward to hearing his response, but I wish to refer to Gaelscoil Cholmcille on Oscar Traynor Road. I was in the school yesterday for the celebration of Bliain na Gaeilge. The children's celebration of music and song was incredible. Wonderful work is ongoing in the school which has been waiting for a permanent building for 22 years. While I appreciate the Minister of State is here to talk about the Educate Together school in Dún Laoghaire, this issue is still ongoing and I would appreciate hearing his comments on it. Perhaps he might ask the Minister what can be done about it. However, we will concentrate this morning on the Educate Together school in Dún Laoghaire.