Michael D'Arcy (Fine Gael)
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I am trying to obtain information in respect of a premises that is going to be available in Gorey, County Wexford. I refer to the premises at which first and second year students from Creagh College post-primary school are currently located. The premises in question was built as temporary accommodation - it includes 16 classrooms - with a view to being converted to primary school accommodation when Creagh College relocates to the premises currently being constructed as part of the PPP bundle 15 months from now. The Department of Education and Skills seems to be operating along the lines of the Politburo which ran the old USSR. It does not give out information and everything is on a need-to-know basis. I want to know the Department's plans for the building to which I refer. Will the Minister of State indicate which primary school it is proposed to move into the building when it becomes vacant?

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. I thank Senator Michael D'Arcy for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the position in respect of the future use of the school building that is currently used to accommodate the newly established post-primary school in Gorey, pending the provision of permanent accommodation for that school.

The Senator may find it helpful if I set out the context within which decisions relating to meeting the demographic challenge facing the education system in the coming years are made. Total enrolment in both primary and post-primary schools is expected to grow by almost 70,000 by 2018 - more than 45,000 at primary level and 25,000 at post-primary level - and will continue to grow up to at least 2024 at post-primary level. Given such substantial and welcome population growth, we will have a much-increased enrolment at all levels of education. The latter is expected to continue in the medium term. It is vital, therefore, that there is sufficient school accommodation to cope with these pupil enrolments. In order to meet the needs of our growing population of school-going children, the Department must establish new schools as well as extending or replacing a number of existing schools in areas where demographic growth has been identified. The delivery of these new schools, together with extension projects to meet future demand, will be the main focus of the Department's budget for the coming years.

The five-year plan announced in March 2012 outlines the major school projects that are due to proceed to construction over the duration of the plan, including the new 1,000-pupil post-primary school for Gorey. This represents a major advance in how the school building programme is publicised and provides certainty to patrons and school communities concerning the major school building projects that the Department is in a position to progress. Those schools included in the five-year plan now know when their projects will proceed to construction. This will facilitate schools in planning to meet the educational needs of children in their areas.

The new permanent post-primary school building in Gorey is currently under construction. Due, however, to the immediate demand for additional post-primary school places in the town, it was necessary to establish the new school in a temporary location pending the construction of the permanent building. The new school opened in September 2011 and provides accommodation for up to 300 pupils. The design of the building lends itself to conversion to a permanent primary school in the future if required. In addition, the specialist accommodation, which is of a temporary nature, could potentially be relocated to another post-primary school facility if required. The most recent projections produced by the Department of Education and Skills in respect of the Gorey area forecast an increase in demand at primary level in the coming years. A decision on the future use of the building in question, currently occupied by the temporary post-primary school, will be taken when construction of the new school is completed and will be considered in the context of how best to meet future education demand in the area.

I again thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to outline the position.

Michael D'Arcy (Fine Gael)
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So the politburo is alive and well. I intend no criticism of the Minister of State, but the reply he has just provided is farcical. No Minister should come before the House with a reply of that nature. The Minister's one-page script contains a one-line reference to the question I posed. That is not good enough and it reflects was Fianna Fáil did when it was in government. It is not good enough that the Minister of State came before the House with a script of this nature. I do not say this lightly because I know the Minister of State to be a good, honourable and decent person. However, his script is a joke. The Minister of State should return it to whomever wrote it and tell him never to supply a script of that nature ever again.

Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael)
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Does the Senator have a question for the Minister of State?

Michael D'Arcy (Fine Gael)
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The line in the script which relates to the question I posed states: "The design of the building lends itself to conversion to a permanent primary school...". In addition, it also indicates that the accommodation could be relocated elsewhere. This is the most farcical thing I have ever heard. Is the Minister of State seriously indicating that the building can be dismantled and transported elsewhere for re-erection? If that is the case, then he should allow the politburo to have full control and should not return to this or the Lower House. I do not say that lightly. There is a school in the town of Gorey which has had the worst of facilities for the past ten years. I refer to St. Joseph's CBS, which, despite the state of its facilities, is last on the list. The question I asked was a simple one. However, the politburo has not provided an answer in respect of it. I ask the Minister of State to return to his Department and obtain an answer for me. Is it intended to relocate St. Joseph's CBS to the building in question, or is it intended to dismantle it and re-erect it elsewhere?

I thank the Chair for indulging me, but I really become annoyed when answers such as that which the Minister of State read into the record are offered. Answers of that nature are really disrespectful to me and every other Member of the House.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Senator inquired about the situation as it obtains at present. I outlined the position and I assure him that no decision has been made as to the future use of the building involved. When a decision is made, I am sure he and the local community will be made aware of it. The Department is more than aware-----

Michael D'Arcy (Fine Gael)
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I wish to make a point.

Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State must be allowed to conclude his remarks.

Michael D'Arcy (Fine Gael)
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I must make a point. The bottom line is that the board of management has asked the Department of Education and Skills about this matter on numerous occasions but has received no reply. The response seems to be that there is no response. I am requesting such a response.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I will give the Senator a response, which is that there has been no decision. When a decision is made, I presume the board of management, the Senator and other local representatives will be made aware of it. There is a possibility the accommodation may remain in place to serve another cohort of pupils in the area. However, it could also be relocated to another part of the country. A school building not unlike this one, which was previously located in Laytown, County Meath - which was experiencing similar exponential population growth at the time - has been moved to a location in another part of the country in order to meet a pressing need for accommodation there. If the Senator continues to engage with me and to make the case for this building to be used to serve the needs of the Gorey area, I will certainly communicate his concerns and remarks to the Minister, Deputy Quinn. However, it is not possible for me to inform the Senator of the decision this evening because the decision has not been made yet.