Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I extend a very warm welcome to the Minister of State and congratulate her on her appointment as it is the first opportunity I have had to do so. Knowing her personally, I have no doubt she will have huge success at the Department and wish her all the very best and good luck in that.I seek an update on the proposed extension of Ballybay Community College. It is an issue that I, along with my colleague in the area, Councillor Séamus Coyle, have worked on for many years. Indeed, I take this opportunity to extend great credit to the people in the school community, the pupils, teachers, board of management, the parents and Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board, CMETB, that have worked and championed hard to get the project off the ground.

The school has been a great success both academically and on the sporting field, so much so, that it has outgrown its original footprint because of its popularity and the large number attending, which is a credit to its teaching staff. I was delighted last December when the Minister, by way of reply to a Commencement debate, informed me that the school had finally gotten the green light to proceed. The news was greeted with great enthusiasm by the entire community of Ballybay.

Since the new Minister for Education and Skills has taken up office, I have stressed to her the importance of the facility moving forward. It is disappointing that the project has taken so long but now that we have a green light I hope that it will move swiftly along in order that the school community, comprised of teachers, pupils and parents, will enjoy a much needed facility that they are crying out for. I hope that the Minister of State present will have some good news for me this morning on the status of the extension because the school community in Ballybay has waited long enough for the project to be completed.