Tá traidisiún na Gaeilge agus na teanga labhartha go láidir i dTiobraid Árann thuaidh. Tá Gaelscoil bhreá nua againn in Aonach Urmhumhan, mo bhaile féin, ach anocht, cuirim an bhéim ar Ghaelscoil Bhríde i nDurlas Éile.
I am glad of the opportunity to raise this pressing issue regarding Gaelscoil Bhríde in Thurles. The school was founded in 1990 with six pupils. Current enrolment is 199 pupils. In September 2004, there will be 203 pupils, in September 2005, 211 pupils, and in September 2006, 217 pupils. These figures have been approved by the inspector.
Gaelscoil Bhríde is highly regarded in the town of Thurles. It provides co-educational facilities, is all-inclusive and serves the growing population of Thurles town, which is approximately 9,000, and the hinterland of Thurles. Currently, the school comprises six classrooms which are either at or below the minimum recommended space of 16 sq. ft. per pupil under the 1965 Department of Education and Science rules for national schools. There is no hard surface in the area in which the school is located, so it is not possible for children to play ball, which is a tremendous disadvantage.
The school has eight full-time teachers, one resource teacher, one learning support teacher and the príomh-oide. These are all catered for under one roof in an old building dating back 140 years. They work in accommodation kindly provided by a local family at a reasonable rent. This kind gesture of the landlord is indicative of the support in the community of Thurles. Nevertheless, the accommodation is inadequate for the growing numbers who wish to attend Gaelscoil Bhríde.
Before 1999, a 3.9 acre site was bought by the Office of Public Works at Ardnacroise in Thurles for Gaelscoil Bhríde. Planning was applied for, but it was refused. It was also refused on appeal because of the poor entrance to this site. Architects were involved at the time and attempts to move on failed because of the poor entrance to this site at Ardnacroise. That site was, however, zoned educational. On 19 May 1999, the management of Gaelscoil Bhríde received a letter from the Department which consoled the parents and teachers. It stated that should there be any delay in the progress of the project because of technical difficulties outside the Department's control, the project would not lose its place in the priority listings.
In December 2003, with the great assistance of the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, a four acre site was bought by the OPW with his approval. Gaelscoil Bhríde hoped its plans for its growing school would move ahead. I was happy with this announcement because I had continued communication with the Minister and the board of management of the school. The application approved would have been for the eight classroom school and ancillary works for which the site at Ardnacroise was originally bought. A four acre site, however, has now been secured.
To my knowledge, the schools building programme fails to list Gaelscoil Bhríde. This school is very pressed for space. A new site has been bought and there is no apparent plan in print at present despite the commitment given in the 19 May 1999 letter from the Department that should any difficulties arise, it would not lose its place on the building list. That is why I raise this issue.
My correspondence, together with that of the dedicated principal of the school, indicates clearly that Gaelscoil Bhríde is anxious to engage in public private partnership should the Minister approve it in his summer reappraisal of the building programme. I call on the Minister to sell the site which was deemed unsuitable and which is a property of the Department to fund the construction of a new school for Gaelscoil Bhríde. Tá foirgneamh nua ag teastáil ón nGaelscoil agus iarraim ar an Aire foirgneamh nua a thabhairt duinn gan mhoill. I ask the Minister to respond to this pressing need in Thurles. He has done so before with the purchase of the site and I ask him to move it along.
