Táim-se buíoch díot, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, as an deis seo a thabhairt dom an cheist thábhactach seo a thógáil ar an Athló.
Arranmore Island is one of the biggest islands off our coast, certainly the biggest off the Donegal coast. The last census of population indicated that there are almost 800 people living there. The island has two primary schools with a total teaching staff of five. The campaign for a post-primary school for this island has been in progress for ten or 15 years. There were ups and downs until eventually five years ago it was decided by the Minister that a post-primary school should be established on Arranmore. The news at that time was greeted with great joy on the island. However, five years later very little progress has been made in this regard.
Five years ago the Department instructed the VEC to purchase a site and make other arrangements so that the school could be built on the island. The VEC purchased a site known as the Boyle site for which they paid £20,000. Subsequently the architects from the Department found that the site was not suitable for a school and the VEC had to look for a second site, which they found in the last year, known as the Coll site. There were difficulties with title deeds but that was sorted out a number of months ago and the site is now available. I understand the VEC have indicated to the Department that they are anxious to go ahead with the provision of the approved post-primary school on the island but they have not yet received sanction.
Every Sunday evening 90 children aged from between 11 and 18 leave Arranmore Island by ferry for Burtonport from where they have to take buses and other transport to various schools throughout Donegal, to Falcarragh, Letterkenny, Milford and other places. Up to the last few years the position was not too bad because most of the pupils had boarding facilities, the girls in Falcarragh and Milford and the boys in St. Eunan's in Letterkenny and Falcarragh. However, in the last few years boarding facilities for boys have been phased out in Falcarragh and are being phased out in Letterkenny while boarding facilities for girls have been completely phased out in Milford and are being phased out in Falcarragh. Very few of these children are in boarding schools now and more and more have to go into private houses on the mainland until Friday when they return to the island for the weekend. This incurs great expense for the parents. I do not think the Government give any remuneration towards these expenses and that is not acceptable.
I have been on the island a number of weekends and indeed accompanied some of these children to the mainland. It is a sad and sorry sight to see the parents at the pier on the island waving goodbye to their young children. The heart is torn out of the island for the major portion of the week when those children are on the mainland. It also establishes a pattern that leads ultimately to emigration from the island. In the past few years a number of adults from the island have had to go abroad, to Scotland, England and other countries to earn a livelihood.
What I would like to find out ón Aire Stáit — agus fáilte ar ais ón Iodáil. Chuala mé go ndearna sé gníomh mór ansin — is the Department's attitude to the post-primary school on Arranmore. Is the commitment still there to provide this island with this facility? The people of the island are extremely anxious as to what will happen. Too much time has passed since the campaign was organised and without there being any result. Many people on the island would say — and I agree with them — that it is the constitutional right of these children to be able to avail of post-primary education at home. At least they should have the choice. A number of surveys have been carried out on Arranmore and the vast majority of parents are most anxious to have the school established on the island.
I would also remind the Minister that there are post-primary schools on other islands such as Inismór where the enrolment is 50 or 60 and Inis Oírr where the enrolment is under 20. We do not begrudge these islands their schools, they are entitled to them but at least the children there have the choice of staying on the island or going to the mainland whereas on Arranmore island, with a population of 800 people including 90 or 100 post-primary pupils there has been no visible progress on the provision of a school. I know there are vocational schools on the mainland, in the west and other places, with fewer than 100 pupils. Therefore there is certainly the required number of pupils on this island to make the school a viable one.
A suggestion has been put forward that perhaps a temporary building should be provided for at least a year until the school is built. I understand the Department's architects visited the area recently. They looked at the ionad pobail on the island and found it to be unsuitable. I cannot understand why because it is a fine building with plenty of space. In my opinion it would be ideal for a temporary dwelling until the permanent school is provided. A number of other buildings were investigated last year but they were also found to be unsuitable. In the minute remaining I would remind the Minister gur oileán fíor-Ghaeltachta é Oileán Árann Mhór. Tá an Ghaeilge ar a dtoil ag na páistí ansin. Is í an Ghaeilge an teanga teagaisc sa dá scoil ar an oileán. Mar a dúirt mé, tá na deacrachtaí seo acu ach tá siad ag dul ar aghaidh. Ba mhaith le muintir an oileáin a fháil amach anois an bhfuil sé ar intinn ag an Roinn dul ar aghaidh leis an scoil. Más rud é go bhfuil, caithfear cead a thabhairt don choiste gairmoideachais dul ar aghaidh agus an suíomh úr fóirstineach a cheannach sa dóigh is gur féidir an scoil a thógáil gan a thuilleadh ama a chur amú.
An dara rud, an bhfuil aon seans go bhféadfaí áras sealadach a chur ar fáil do na daltaí atá ag fágáil na bunscoile i mbliana sa dóigh gur féidir leo a gcuid meánoideachais a fháil ar an oileán. Sílim gur truamhéileach an cás é, na buachaillí agus na cailíní óga a fheiceáil lena gcuid málaí beaga ag fágáil an oileáin Dé Domhnaigh agus ag teacht ar ais Dé hAoine. Incidentally, there were a number of weekends when they did return to Burtonport and due to the storms they had to remain on the mainland, and some of them had to sleep in boats at Burtonport until the storm was over the following morning. This is something which should not be allowed to continue sa tír seo agus i gceantair Ghaeltachta.
Iarraim ar an Aire Stáit, ar an Aire Oideachais í féin, agus ar an Taoiseach, atá ina Aire Gaeltachta, a ndícheall a dhéanamh, agus a insint dúinn an bhfuil sé ar intinn acu an scoil iarbhunoideachais a chur ar fáil ar Oileán Árann Mhór.
