The Minister will know that County Galway Vocational Education Committee accepted the lowest tender in the sum of £215,000 for the erection of an eight classroom extension, a low cost building, in July 1982 for Athenry vocational school. To date the vocational education committee has not received sanction to sign the contract. Athenry vocational school was built to accommodate 325 students. At the moment the school has a total enrolement of 620 day class students. In order to accommodate that number County Galway Vocational Education Committee has had to resort to a plethora of prefab classrooms, some of which are 20 years old. A multi-campus has been in operation with many classes commuting between one area and another, and 40 teachers have to share two toilets which is a totally unacceptable situation. There are absolutely no canteen facilities or assembly areas for the students in the conventional building.
Since July the staff, parents and students have raised the sum of £70,000 which they are prepared to contribute towards the further development of Athenry vocational school, the largest vocational school in County Galway. The influx of first year students in September 1993 will be the largest in the history of the school, and represents a phenomenal growth. As a gesture of appreciation for the parents input and effort we ask the Minister and the Department to grant sanction to County Galway Vocational Education Committee now for the signing of the contract for the extension.
Unless County Galway Vocational Education Committee is allowed to proceed with the building of the extension, a situation may arise which is unprecedented in the history of County Galway Vocational Education Committee or that of the Department of Education, where a school has to turn away students in September due to lack of accommodation. Nobody wants this situation to arise. A commitment has been given by the former Minister for Education, albeit verbal, the design team has been authorised by the Department of Education and has been paid £12,491 as authorised by the Department. Everything is set to roll, the contractor is on standby, the parents' council, the board of management, students, staff and parents are all waiting with bated breath. It is perfect weather for building and if the Minister were to say yes now the extension would be ready for September thus averting a crisis. This is a school that has made an enormous contribution to education in the Athenry district over the past 20 years.
I am appealing to the Minister, not alone as a Senator for that area of County Galway but as a teacher and as chairperson of the Athenry vocational school's board of management, to help us out of this crisis. A positive answer today will ensure that the people of Athenry, teachers, pupils, parents and Vocational Education Committee have a happy Easter. I thank the Minister in anticipation of an affirmative reply. This is a vital matter for County Galway Vocational Education Committee and, more importantly, for the students of one of the country's largest vocational schools. I thank the Minister for coming to the House and I am grateful for being granted time to raise this matter.
