Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as ucht teacht go dtí an Teach chun an cheist thábhachtach seo a phlé. Is gá don Aire Oideachais agus Eolais maoiniú iomlán a chur ar fáil maidir leis an bhfoirgneamh nua do Ghaelscoil Róis, i gCarraig Mhachaire Róis, Condae Muineacháin. Ní chóir go bhfanfadh seisear mhúinteoir agus 126 dalta sa tseanfhoirgneamh ina bhfuil siad faoi láthair. Iarraim ar an Aire, ar son na ndaltaí, na múinteoirí, na dtuismitheoirí agus ar son fhoireann uilig na scoile maoiniú iomlán a chur ar fáil.
I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Hanafin, for coming into the house this evening to address this very important issue. Gaelscoil Róis, Carrickmacross, is one of the hundreds of gaelscoileanna which have blossomed throughout the length and breadth of Ireland over the past 20 years. I pay tribute to the dedicated team of people, teachers, parents, committee members and management who are providing an excellent Irish medium education to young people in Carrickmacross. The excellent work of all concerned in Scoil Róis is a battle against the odds because they have to operate in a building that is nothing short of a disgrace. It is no consolation that it is an historic building built in 1775 to accommodate 40 pupils and one teacher. It now has 126 pupils and six teachers and they are operating in dangerous and overcrowded conditions.
The use of this completely unsuitable building as a school should be consigned to history. The main door of the school opens directly on to the main N2 roadway, one of the busiest roads in the country. As well as the hazard to pupils coming to and going from the school there is the incessant noise of passing traffic which intrudes on the classrooms. The school yard is prone to flooding, there are hazardous steps and other signs of dilapidation are in evidence in this very old building. The Minister's predecessor, Deputy Martin, visited the school and saw for himself the totally unacceptable conditions. The provision of a new school building for gael scoil Róis is long overdue. The school seeks from the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Woods, a firm guarantee that the new building will go ahead as scheduled starting this July. A new site in Cloughvalley, Carrickmacross, was purchased from Monaghan County Council by the Department of Education and Science and it has full planning permission.
The current delay is due to concerns about the site itself, of which the Department was aware from the beginning. If extra cost is involved in preparing the site, it was adequately offset by the favourable price charged by Monaghan County Council, which is very much in favour of having Gaelscoil Róis accommodated in a new premises away from the N2. I urge the Minister to ensure that all the necessary costs are met and that the building proceeds without further delay.
Gaelscoil Róis is a vital part of the vibrant community of Carrickmacross, and, as the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will concur, is at the centre of new growth and development in a long neglected region. The Minister and his Department must play their part to ensure that the school can operate in decent conditions and continues to blossom.
