Lorraine Higgins (Labour)
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This is an urgent matter. Scoil Éanna, Bullaun, Loughrea, County Galway is in crisis. The people of Bullaun are desperate for, and have been promised, a new school. It is astonishing to me that, given the severity of their situation, pupils and teachers are forced to endure this entirely unsuitable and highly dangerous situation nine years after being promised a new building. Scoil Éanna is a standard three-classroom school built in 1959 on 0.6 of an acre. As a result of a huge increase in the local population, its enrolment has spiralled from 39 pupils in 2000 to 187 pupils in 2014. This increase in enrolment has necessitated the instalment of four prefabs, two of which are being accommodated outside the school's rear boundary wall and on the generosity and community spirit of several landowners. This situation has understandably tested the goodwill of people in the area, and in addition to the 2012 of the fourth prefab, which was made difficult by persistent rain, fifth and sixth classes have to be taught in the local hall in Bullaun which was built in 1888. This is causing massive disruption to all concerned and impacts on teachers and students alike.

The annual cost of prefab rental is close to €40,000. A fourth prefab was purchased last year for close to €65,000. Given the glaring need for a new school, the community understandably feels this is imprudent and wasteful spending. I agree wholeheartedly. The installation of these prefabs has also placed huge demands on the 1959 percolation system in place at the school. The adjoining land has been badly damaged during the installation of prefab four, which is also an issue. The school's septic tank is absorbing water from the water table and in the past year has been emptied and desludged several times. A recent health and safety audit condemned the system. The school board has applied for emergency works to be carried out on its percolation system and the Department has sanctioned funding. The school community, however, has been unable to proceed with the project because of space restrictions and difficulties with planning permissions. There is literally no space whatsoever to install the system.

In respect of health and safety and the day-to-day well-being of all in the school, this is shameful and must be tackled urgently. I feel very strongly about this because I have brought it up on several occasions in this House and the staff and pupils of Scoil Éanna have entered their ninth year of waiting for a new school, despite all I have said. I commend the generosity of the patron of the school, Bishop John Kirby, who has agreed to make a sizeable site available for construction of a new school in Bullaun, located beside the village car park, which is a very safe location. There have been site engineer evaluations and hydrologist reports for this proposed new site which deem it very suitable. These facts and the escalating difficulties facing Scoil Éanna and the community lead me to ask in the strongest possible terms why work has not commenced on this new school. I urge the Minister of State and the Minister for Education and Skills to swiftly examine the situation as a crisis because children have graduated from Scoil Éanna having spent their entire primary school education in infrastructure that is not fit for purpose.It is horrendous and something no child should have to put up with in the 21st century, particularly in an education system that is supposed as good as the one we talk about in this country.

I commend the principal, Fergal Connaire, for all his work. I also commend the teachers, other members of staff and pupils at Scoil Naomh Éanna as well as the local community for the spirit, endeavours and generosity it has shown and the huge efforts it has made in raising funds over the years. The fruits of all their fund-raising efforts lie in a bank account awaiting the commencement of work on this new school. It is high time the Department of Education and Skills kicked into gear and moved on this matter once and for all because no child or teacher should be forced to learn or work in a school building that is so thoroughly unsuitable and that goes back decades and generations. Students are being taught and are learning in a hall in Bullaun that dates from 1888. I stand with every single person in Bullaun when it comes to this issue and am calling for this issue to be addressed as a matter of urgency. I look forward to hearing the Minister of State's response.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of my colleague, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, Minister for Education and Skills. I wish to thank the Senator for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the current position relating to the application for a new school building in the case of Scoil Naomh Éanna, Bullaun, Loughrea, County Galway.

The Senator will be aware that the over-riding objective of education capital expenditure is to meet the demographic challenge facing the education system whereby total pupil enrolment in both primary and post-primary schools is expected to grow by around 107,000 additional pupils between 2012 and 2019 - over 70,000 at primary level and over 35,000 at post primary - and will continue to rise at post-primary level to the year 2026 at least. The five-year construction plan prioritises major school projects in areas where future significant demographic changes have been identified.

In this regard, Loughrea has not been identified as an area of significant demographic growth. Pupil enrolment projections for Loughrea indicate that enrolments will remain relatively stable for the foreseeable future. However, the Department has acknowledged the accommodation issues outlined here today arising in respect of Scoil Naomh Éanna, Bullaun. Having examined the existing school site, it became apparent in late 2013 that the site is too restricted and cannot be expanded to meet the deficit of permanent accommodation and provide an appropriate wastewater treatment system for the school in question. In that regard, it was concluded that a new school site is required.

In that context, the school advised during a meeting with Department officials in December 2013 that the patron is willing to offer a green field site for a new school development. The Department requested site maps and confirmation from the patron that the green field site would be offered for development. The information requested was received by the Department in early 2014 on foot of which a technical site visit was undertaken.

Following the site visit, the school's board of management were advised in mid-2014 to appoint a suitably qualified consultant engineer to examine and comment on the ground conditions and water treatment system requirements in respect of the proposed green field site. The board of management was also advised that it would also be necessary for the consultant to hold a pre-planning meeting with Galway County Council regarding the site's suitability for development. The consultant appointed by the board of management concluded that a further tier two assessment of the site would be required and my Department's technical advisers concurred with this advice. This completed report was submitted to the Department in early 2015. The report has been considered and the Department is satisfied that the proposed site is suitable for the development of a new school building. As a result of this, I am pleased to inform the Senator that this project will be progressed into the architectural planning process without delay so it is beginning to move through those gears.

The building project for Scoil Naomh Éanna is one of a number of schools which it was not possible to include in the five-year construction programme. However, the school project will be progressed to the final planning stages so that it will be well placed for consideration in the context of future construction programmes. Hopefully, the next one will be announced later on this year. I again thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to clarify the current position in relation to Scoil Naomh Éanna.

Lorraine Higgins (Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response in which he mentioned demographics. This school has gone from having 39 pupils in 2000 to 187 pupils 2014 which is a sizeable increase. The building in which pupils are being taught and in which teachers are forced to teach is wholly unsuitable. However, I welcome the fact the project will be progressed into the architectural planning process without delay.It is a good move in the right direction. It is time a review of the five-year construction project is done to allow us to do something constructive for schools, such as Scoil Éanna in Bullaun, Loughrea, which are in a situation that is clearly untenable and unsafe for students and teachers. We must safeguard children's education and if they are going to be taught in places that are wholly unsuitable for their needs, it does not augur well for them on their way to secondary school. I urge the Minister of State, the Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, and the departmental officials to do everything in their power to expedite the process so that Scoil Éanna can look forward to a new school building in the near future.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The Department recognises that, due to increased numbers at the school in the past seven or eight years, the accommodation is not suitable, and this is why it has been allowed to progress to the architectural planning stage and to continue to the planning stage. The figures to which I referred were for the future. During the tight budget constraints of the past three or four years, any money was being set aside for additional accommodation for increased pupil numbers. The spring budget statements are to be announced today. With the fiscal situation improving, the Department hopes to be in a position to add to it. The Senator referred to a review of the five-year plan. Given that we are in the final year of the existing five-year construction plan, it is intended to announce a new five-year plan this year, if possible. Much work has been carried out over the past six or seven months on researching and improving figures.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Terry Brennan is next. Is the Minister of State taking this matter?

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I would not chance it with Terry.

Terry Brennan (Fine Gael)
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You would be dead right.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator has four minutes to make his case.