I thank the Minister for coming to the House to hear this issue on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science. The issue is related to a 2005 application by Gaeilscoil Philib Barún in Tramore, County Waterford. The school management has applied for a permanent building because the school is currently housed in a completely prefabricated building. I am sure that everyone agrees that is an unsustainable position.
Tramore is the largest town in County Waterford and has increased in size rapidly in recent years. It is now larger than Dungarvan, which is the civic headquarters of the county. It is about seven miles from Waterford city and the gaeilscoil, operating under the principal, Mr. Dáithí de Paor, and his staff, is very successful in the promotion of the Irish language in County Waterford. They are becoming increasingly frustrated in their correspondence with the Department. It is appropriate the Minister is present given our discussion with him yesterday on sustainable planning for urban areas, of which Tramore is one. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has issued guidelines which call for greater collaboration between Departments and local authorities and communities. In the case I raise, a community established a Gaelscoil to respond to its needs and received support from the local authority. However, since 2005, it has received no grounds for hope from the Department of Education and Science that a new school will be built. A design team has not even been appointed. This must be considered in light of ongoing debate on the need for sustainable communities and promoting education for young people.
Senators Brian Ó Domhnaill and Pearse Doherty will shortly discuss the need to provide physical education facilities in schools in County Donegal. In Tramore we seek a badly-needed building to house students and staff, although physical education facilities will also be needed.
Much work remains to be done. From the perspective of sustainable planning, as communities grow progress must be made to improve co-operation and collaboration between local authorities and Departments. I welcome the Minister's efforts to achieve this objective in the planning guidelines.
I am hopeful the Minister will give me some positive news or at least an indication that a design team will be appointed. Surely this step should be taken at an early stage as part of forward planning. Three years down the road, a design team has still not been appointed and the school hopes the project will proceed to the planning stage. Construction remains some way off. The Minister will agree that residents of areas such as Tramore which are not receiving the required service from Departments are frustrated, particularly given that we are repeatedly told that plenty of money is available for services and facilities. I look forward to the reply.