Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I am disturbed to have to raise this matter which involves looking for basic items. The basic requirement is the continuation of a rental grant for prefabricated accommodation in Scoil Mhainchin national school, Ennistymon, County Clare. The building in which the school is housed is over 100 years old and could do with reinvestment to bring it to the standard one would reasonably expect for our children in First world Ireland. The fact that the building is 100 years old means some of the classrooms are totally unacceptable and of a poor standard. The issues involved include insulation and heating, etc. For some time, a number of the classes have been accommodated in prefabricated buildings and a grant was made available by the Department of Education and Science to cover the rental cost. The school was contacted a number of weeks ago to be told the grant would not be available in 2014. The grant has been pulled in the middle of the school term. Accommodation is expected to be brought up to an acceptable level over the Christmas period, which is totally impractical and will not happen. No decent toilet facilities are available. The Department cannot stand over the removal of this small grant to provide prefabricated accommodation. I seek the reversal of the decision as a matter of extreme urgency. This is causing stress to teachers, the board of management, parents and children. This is not acceptable and should not happen in the run-up to Christmas.

The children attending school in Ennistymon are what I describe as discommoded because they are going from one second level school to another. They have to tramp across town in the wind and rain. Now primary schoolchildren in Ennistymon will be discriminated against and do not have simple prefabricated accommodation, which is unacceptable. I want this decision reversed and hope the reply of the Minister of State will inform me it has been reversed.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for raising this matter and apologise on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, who is unable to attend the House.

From my knowledge of Ennistymon, Scoil Mhainchin is an important school and was established as a result of an amalgamation in September 2007 on the existing convent site. The Senator may also be aware of the three post-primary schools in Ennistymon that have agreed to amalgamate on the delivery of a new school building. This building project has been earmarked to be established on the convent site on which Scoil Mhainchin is located. The religious congregation that owns the property has offered to transfer the site to the State as part of its offer of a number of properties. The Government has agreed to accept the property in question and the Department, through the Chief State Solicitor's office, is working on finalising the transfer of the property. When the transfer has been completed, the Department will be in a position to further consider how the amalgamated post-primary school project can be progressed within the context of the available funding. Thereafter, the amalgamated primary school, Scoil Mhainchin, will be required to relocate to provide a clear site for the amalgamated post-primary school development. The current CBS post-primary site which will become vacant once the amalgamated post-primary project has been delivered is considered to be a suitable one for the amalgamated primary school, Scoil Mhainchin. In the meantime, the Department is providing rental grant aid for a number of rented prefabs for the school and this arrangement is the subject of a rental review. The Department has been in contact with the school authorities in the context of that review. In order to complete the assessment of the continuing need for all of the prefabs on the site, a technical site visit will be carried out shortly by the Department. Should a meeting with the school authorities be required further to that site visit, officials in the Department's building unit will be in contact directly with the school to arrange same.

I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to outline the current position on Scoil Mhainchin in Ennistymon.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I take it that the grant will continue to be paid until the site inspection takes place. Will the Minister of State find out from the Minister for Education and Skills when it is expected the site visit will take place? I assume it will not happen this side of Christmas. We can assume the grant is secure for at least the early part of 2014.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I will ask the Minister for Education and Skills to relay the information to the Senator on both fronts. From the perspective of the school and the Senator, it is important to have clarity on the issue as soon as possible.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for the commitment that there will be a meeting with the school buildings section of the Department.