I should like once again to thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment. I thank the Minister for his presence here tonight.
I should like to ask the Minister if he will give his urgent and immediate attention to the provision of a new school at Moylagh, which is situated outside Oldcastle, to replace the existing school at Gortloney. The school in Gortloney was built in January 1880 and was renovated in 1932. At that time, in that particular part of the parish, which is part of the parish of Oldcastle, we had a school also in a place called Baltrasna. The Baltrasna school was closed and amalgamated with Gortloney school in 1975 and to cater for the extra pupils there a prefab was provided. There are four toilets in the school in Gortloney to cater for 107 pupils and staff.
I am happy to report that in the past few years the school-going population has increased and an extra teacher has been appointed by the Department of Education. We are all concerned about the decline in population in rural areas. Here we have the case where the school-going population is on the increase. We are happy to see this popular trend over recent years — which is not so popular in many ways — being reversed. The problem is that there is no place in the school to demonstrate charts, videos, and so on. There is no room for creative activities which are very necessary and important in the educational system of today. The modern teaching methods that are vital in our community cannot be projected or protrayed in a cramped space. The present conditions for the staff and the pupils are inadequate. Pupils are crammed into the school like sardines in a tin. This is not an over-statement. The heating system is antiquated and well below the required standard as specified by the Department of Education. We have had one very hard winter and by the looks of it to night we could be facing another one. When teachers have to wear their overcoats in schools it is time we had a hard look at ourselves. We should decide to take immediate action to remedy that situation. The teachers and the pupils do not have a place to hang their coats. The playground, as it is, is most unsuitable for that number of pupils. It is a small garden of an old school. There is no shelter. I do not see any sense in either the Department or the local community putting up money to provide a shelter for a school which, we must all agree, has to be replaced as quickly as possible.
Further to that this school is situated on the main Oldcastle/Collinstown road. It is very close to the road. When the school was built we had only horses and carts and asses and carts bringing turf from the bog. The school environment at that time was not affected by noise. But at the moment, with traffic from sandpits in the area, from the Iralco factory in Collinstown and from local contractors, it is impossible to teach pupils in that school because of its close proximity to the main road. In addition, there is no footpath. The sides of the road have been churned up by traffic pulling in. There is a danger to pupils. Meath County Council have no finances at the moment to provide proper repairs to the road to alleviate the situation. It is a very dangerous narrow stretch of road where there is fast and heavy traffic. The Minister should have a report from the Department of Education on that aspect.
Fortunately, the school manager, Father Garvan, has provided a site at Moylagh. It is an ideal site. It is off the main road and is within the parish environment. Plans have been approved by the Minister's Department, planning permission has been obtained from Meath County Council and tenders are with the Department since 23 September last, I understand. What is the present position? Has a tender been accepted? When will work commence to provide the school? The present school in Moylagh is only 18 feet from the main road. It is very important that a proper school be provided to cater for the needs of the population of this great historic and cultural area of Moylagh, which is the birthplace of St. Oliver Plunkett, as well as myself. It is situated in close proximity to Moylagh Church where many great scholars lie, most notably James Martin, the poet. His inscription reads:
Here lies the remains of James Martin: poet, author, scholar, and patriot.
He was one of the most famous poets in that area. The remains of the mother of the famous Bishop Nulty — a headstone was erected in his memory by the late Father George Leonard in 1878 — also lie there.
This particular area, I am proud to say, promotes culture. They teach Irish music and Irish dancing. They endeavour, as far as it is possible, to implant in the minds of their pupils the importance of the preservation of the family way of life, the importance of the Irish family, and they have succeeded admirably in doing so. If we are to adhere to these principles and to ensure that the people have the right stimulus to propagate that aspect of Irish life across the country, it is imperative that we should provide proper facilities. As always, I am sure the Minister's reply will be most satisfactory. Thank you for listening to my plea.