Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his attendance. I seek clarity from the Department of Education on the provision of a permanent school building for Gaelscoil Áine, Glasnevin. Gaelscoil Áine is a wonderful multidenominational Irish-language-based primary school. It was established more than three years ago and is temporarily located on the first floor of Whitehall College of Further Education on St. Mobhi Road, adjacent to Na Fianna GAA Club and other community facilities.It is a wonderful primary school. It has three classes at the moment and, as I said, it is temporarily located on the first floor in Whitehall Community College. The classrooms are wonderful. It is an old building but it has been fitted out to a very high standard. As we were talking about ventilation, there is fabulous ventilation there, as well as good, proper, purpose-built toilets and a recreation room. Is pobal iontach é. The school, however, is in a temporary facility and it is oversubscribed for this coming September. It does not have a classroom for the junior infants class. It had over 120 applications for junior infants this year and it does not even have a classroom to accommodate 20 or 30.

The Minister of State can see the problem, which is fairly obvious. In the building itself, on the second floor, there is spare or vacant capacity. It seems to my untrained eye an obvious and immediate solution for the Department of Education to support what is a very strong board of management and a wonderful principal and teachers by expanding into that second floor. I hope the Minister of State has been sent with some good news about the school's immediate needs so he can advise me and the House on what the immediate solution is. The Minister of State might also be able to advise, as my Commencement matter suggests, on the location of a permanent building for that school.

The school was set up just over three years ago and, in those three years, despite not having a permanent school and despite uncertainty over a permanent school location, the school is going from strength to strength and it is building a very strong reputation within the immediate community and the wider community. It is very important that the Department supports this school. It is a school that is already thriving but with the continued support of the Department, it can really flourish. I hope the Minister of State has been sent today with an answer on the immediate needs for the temporary accommodation and on a permanent location for the school.