Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I raise this issue on the Adjournment with more than passing interest. I have a personal interest as Scoil Eoin Baiste, Carrigart, was the school in which I started my education, in 1975. I spent eight years at the school. From my vague memory of entering the school in 1975, I recall that it was one of the finest — if not the finest — national schools in the county at that time. However, 30 years have elapsed and times have change, as have educational needs.

The school extension was promised in 1999. In various elections since then, there has been much posturing and shadow boxing and many promises have been made. The staff and the board of management have had enough. They met last Monday in the parochial hall in Umlagh with parents of the school and public representatives. There is a belief among staff and parents that because this school has disadvantaged status under the Breaking the Cycle programme, the need for a school extension should be a priority.

There are four classes sharing the same toilet, which creates a problem of circulation among the students. One student is paraplegic and suffers from cerebral palsy. The student requires a hoist and changing area. The area currently being used is the small toilet used by the other classes. There is a serious issue of personal dignity for the student, the staff and the student's personal assistant. There is no general purpose room in the school. There is a PE instructor in the school, but there is no possibility of facilitating the new PE curriculum that is to be introduced. There are five staff members, along with a German teacher, a home liaison teacher, a PE instructor and a learning support teacher. That makes a total of nine staff who can all be there at any given time. The staff room is not adequate for this and there is a need for expansion.

I know the Minister of State will bring this issue to the attention of the Minister for Education and Science. The board of management, the principal, staff, parents and students want the funding for the extension of the school to be expedited. In 1975, this was one of the most modern schools in the county, but 30 years later it needs change.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I apologise for the absence of the Minister for Education and Science who is busy on other Government business. I thank the Senator for raising the matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline the Department's strategy for capital investment in education projects and to outline the position on the application received in the Department for additional accommodation at Scoil Eoin Baiste in Carrigart, County Donegal.

Since the beginning of the year the Minister has made a number of announcements on the schools building and modernisation programme. This year alone, €270 million will be allocated to primary schools and €223 million to post-primary schools for building works. This represents an increase of 14% on the 2004 allocation. The new schools building and modernisation programme for 2005-09 will be underpinned by a significant increase in overall funding and by major improvements in the administration of that funding. Devolving more funding to local level through the summer works scheme and the small and rural schools initiative will allow schools to move ahead much more quickly with smaller projects while also delivering better value for money.

Scoil Eoin Baiste in Carrigart is a coeducational primary school with a current enrolment of 83 pupils. The school has a current staffing of a principal plus three mainstream teachers and one permanent resource teacher. Enrolments have decreased slightly in recent years, from 90 pupils in 2000 to 83 pupils in September 2004. The school authority made an application to the Department of Education and Science for the provision of a general purposes room and ancillary accommodation. The pupil enrolments at the school have necessitated a further examination of the schools long-term accommodation needs, in order to ensure that any capital funding provided is appropriate to meet the need.

I assure the Senator that this project will be considered in the context of the Department's school building and modernisation fund 2005-09. Once again, I thank the Senator for raising this matter.

Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. The school staff and board of management intend to lobby hard to achieve this. The Minister for Education and Science will be hearing from them as their lobbying will be a very professional operation.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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That is real Donegal style.

Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State is absolutely correct.