Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. My request to the Minister of State concerns the need for the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the plans, proposed facilities and rationale for the site choice for the new school arising from the amalgamation of the Mercy and Presentation second level schools in Galway city. This is planned to start in September 2016. Since I tabled this matter last week, a number of parents and people throughout Galway city have contacted me to ask about this choice. When the amalgamation was first mooted in September 2009, the Mercy site was mentioned. When the children came back to school after the Christmas holidays, CEIST, the overarching body for Catholic education, under which the Mercy and Presentation schools exist, announced that the new site would be the Presentation site. I spoke to Dr. Marie Griffin last evening, so I have more information now than I had when I tabled the matter. There has been much surprise and perhaps shock because the site that was always understood to be on the cards was the Mercy site, but now it has been confirmed that it will be the Presentation site. I got some facts from Dr. Marie Griffin, so I want to update the record. She said the only site available in 2009 was the Mercy site, but when an independent evaluation was done in the past year, an independent consultancy chose the Presentation site as the best one because of the room for expansion. The Presentation site is bigger and now a nuns' garden will be included.

The Minister of State might be able to tell me a little more about the rationale for that choice of site. However, the overriding public concern is about facilities to meet students' needs. The current site, the Mercy site, has a state-of-the-art technology room and a gym. The Presentation site does not have a gym, although it fulfils the needs of the PE curriculum by using the pool in NUIG, the rowing club and a local hall. The main concern of parents is why the Mercy site has not been chosen, given that it has a gym and given the physical and health educational needs of students. We all know about the evidence around obesity, the need for physical exercise, the saying that a healthy body is a healthy mind, etc.

We have another example in Galway of the Salerno secondary school, which is also looking for a gym. The Department of Education and Skills expressly said that it was not its policy to build gymnasiums in existing schools. However, when I put this to CEIST yesterday evening, it said it could apply for a full-sized gym. I know it is the policy of the Department of Education and Skills to include a gym in new schools, but will there be a full-sized gym in the Presentation school - which, like the Salerno secondary school, is an existing school - to meet the children's needs?

We will now have a school with 500 children. I understand there is wonderful co-operation between the two schools and that they will start to increase the number of subjects on offer even before September 2016. By working together, both schools will be able to offer a greater number of subjects. However, as the Minister of State will know, there is an incredible loyalty to one's home school. There is a massive amount of change here, so let us encourage these two school communities by saying they will also have the best facilities. I understand a commitment has been given that a new technology room will be put into the Presentation school, but the gym is still an outstanding requirement.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I am taking the matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, who sends her apologies. She cannot be here due to the change in schedule. I thank Senator Healy Eames for raising the matter as it provides me with an opportunity to clarify the current position in regard to the proposed amalgamation of the Mercy and Presentation schools in Galway city.

I understand from the Senator's contribution that she may now have information that is nearly as up to date as ours, unlike when she originally submitted this motion. As such, she will be aware that the patron and the boards of management of the Presentation secondary school and Mercy College, Newtownsmith, on 8 January issued a press release announcing the next stage in a process that envisages their amalgamation from September 2016. As the Senator may be aware, the decision-making authority for any amalgamation belongs to the patron of a school, subject to the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills. The initiative for any amalgamation may come from a variety of sources, such as parents, staff, boards of management and patrons. Any such proposal to amalgamate schools must involve consultation with all of the relevant stakeholders, namely, students, parents, teachers and local communities. A decision taken at local level will follow that consultation process. A decision will not be forced on anyone.

The primary reason for the amalgamation is due to the decline in pupil numbers. In the case of the Presentation school, pupil numbers have declined from 395 pupils in 1999 to 214 pupils in 2014, whereas the decline in the case of Mercy College has been from 463 mainstream pupils and 30 post-leaving certificate, PLC, pupils in 1999 to 240 mainstream pupils and eight PLC pupils in 2014. The view of the patron following a process of consultation is that, unless an amalgamation takes place, the future viability of the schools is in question. The patron and the respective schools envisage that the new amalgamated school will cater for more than 500 girls and allow for a broader curriculum and new programme options.

The patron and the respective schools have also determined that the new amalgamated school should be located on the Presentation secondary school's site. In reaching this decision, the patron and schools had available to them an independent technical report that reviewed the curricular capacity of the buildings and sites of both schools. While deficits of accommodation in both buildings were identified, the report recommended that the Presentation secondary school building was the location that required the least amount of remodelling of the existing structure and had the potential for expansion to accommodate a combined curriculum and additional teaching spaces. This is the main reason for the decision. The patron has advised the Department that it accepted the report's recommendation that the Presentation building and site were the most suitable for an amalgamated school.

To support the amalgamation process, it is understood that a steering group is being established that will comprise nominees of parents, teachers and members of the boards of management of both schools. It is also envisaged that, from next September, both schools will co-operate closely in their curricular provision. The patron is continuing to engage with the Department in respect of this process.

I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to outline the current position regarding the proposed amalgamation of both schools in Galway city. She also raised the question of a gym, so I will ask the Department to revert to her with a comment on same. I presume that, when the two schools are being amalgamated, there might be an opportunity to realise some finance from the site that will not be used. It is a local issue, but this possibility should be considered. There will be an opportunity to use the site for something else that could generate an income that could contribute to a gym. The Senator is right, in that the Department has been trying to maximise accommodation for new pupils throughout the country. The majority of funding, which is taxpayers' money, is being used to build new classrooms as opposed to other facilities. While I agree that all schools need those other facilities, including gyms where possible, tight resources will be concentrated on the necessities, namely, the teaching end of things. The Senator is correct that gyms are just as important and I hope that the Department will soon be in a position to resume funding them.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his answer. I learned some of that information in the period since tabling this motion last week, but my question about the provision of a gym was not addressed in the answer. I included it in my question.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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That issue was not specified.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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The proposed facilities were mentioned in the question. This issue remains a concern. The Minister of State referred to the possibility of finance been realised from the other site, but when I spoke with CEIST last night, it stated that it had no plans and did not know to what use the site would be put. Perhaps it could have another educational use. One could argue that, in the meantime, kids will be short-changed in terms of their physical education. Currently, all of these needs must be outsourced, as it were. The Presentation is doing a good job in that regard, but it would be better were that education provided in-house. Will the Minister of State clarify policy on the gym, given what has been learned from other settings?

According to the Minister of State, the patron "advised the Department that it accepted the report's recommendation".

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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A question, Senator.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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The patron did not revert for consultation subsequently. Is the Minister of State with me?

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Let me be clear. This is a local decision. The two schools have gone through a process that is still continuing. If consultation is under way, it should also be continued. A steering group as been established and will comprise nominees from both schools. However, the Department will not tell either school where to go. This is a local decision. The schools had access to technical expertise and a report that helped them make their decision.

The Senator's question did not specify anything about a gym. I have given a commitment to get her some information on the matter. That will not be a problem.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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It specified facilities. A gym is a key facility.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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A gym was not mentioned, but I have given the Senator a commitment to get her some information when I can. I can do no more than that. I imagine that the steering group will consider what do to with the site that will not be in use. That opportunity should be discussed, but this is just my personal opinion. Now is the time to have a conversation about whether the other site can release resources to fund a gym. It is difficult to see how the Department could give a commitment on the gym. Resources are tight and the majority are being used to try to fund additional accommodation for new pupils so as to meet demographic demands throughout the country. This is the policy currently. I will get the Senator a note on the gym, now that she has raised the matter.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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I understand that it is a local decision. I thank the Minister of State-----

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator, there is no need to thank him.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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-----and look forward to the note. I appreciate it. I also thank the Cathaoirleach.