Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With all due respect to my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, who is answering for the Minister for Education, I am very dissatisfied with this answer because the case of St. Aidan's is unique and it needs an announcement now. Children are sitting on the floor so it is not the same as a request for a gymnasium in other schools. The area currently being used to provide very restricted PE to very limited numbers needs to be converted into an area for students to sit around, eat and chat at lunchtime. There needs to be a distinct gymnasium. I know the Minister of State personally and I know he recognises what I am talking about. It is crucial that this school have a standalone gymnasium. At the moment, because the general purpose hall is being used as a makeshift PE area, the students are denied an area to congregate and sit at lunchtime. It goes against every good principle of education and wellness and everything in the philosophy of education. It is absolute madness.It cannot be allowed to continue. I am dissatisfied that there is not a specific commitment to this project.

I appeal again, through the Minister of State, to the Minister for Education to give a commitment to build this project as a stand-alone and necessary exercise. It is not the normal application for a gymnasium. There is an emergency need to provide a sitting area for lunch, a gymnasium and combined PE and general wellness facilities. It is crucial that this is done. The answer is highly unsatisfactory but I hope it is a prelude to a good answer.