Ar dtús ba maith liom buíochas a ghlacadh leis an Aire Stáit as ucht teacht agus éisteacht leis an aighneas seo. I thank the Minister of State for being present in the House to reply to this debate.
Athenry vocational school has been overcrowded for some considerable time. The school was designed to cater for 325 students but at present has an enrolment of more than 650 students. For the past number of years students have had to be accommodated in a plethora of prefabricated class rooms. There is an urgent need for an extension to this school. I understand that the project has been priced and that the cost would be in the region of £215,000. This is not a major amount of money, even during a time of scarce resources, to build an extension to a school, particularly a school which is so short of proper accommodation. I ask the Minister to say when sanction will be given for the building of this extension.
I understand from local people that a considerable amount of money has been collected locally which will be offset against the cost of the extension. In cases where the local people are willing to make a contribution it is important that such effort is rewarded. This extension is urgently needed. Because of its proximity to Galway it is expected that student numbers at Athenry vocational school will be maintained at a very high level. It is testimony to the interest of the teachers, parents and pupils that this school is attracting such large numbers.
Mar sin, d'iarrfainn ar an Aire breathnú go báúil ar an gcás seo agus an tógáil ar an scoil seo a cheadú chomh luath agus is féidir agus a chur san áireamh go bhfuil suim mhór airgid bailithe ag na tuismitheoirí, suim atá ar fáil freisin le dul ar aghaidh leis an obair.
