I thank you, Sir, for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment. I also warmly welcome the Minister and congratulate her on her work in the Department of Education. I also convey my good wishes on her speedy recovery; it is good to see her back on her feet so quickly.
My motion refers to Coláiste de h-Íde post-primary school which is based in Tallaght, Dublin 24, and was opened in 1993. It is an important all-Irish community school. As Tallaght covers a colossal area, it is important to have this second level all-Irish school which will meet the needs of an ever expanding primary sector student population who want to study first and second levels through the medium of Irish. It is only right that we provide this facility for them. In January 1995, the Minister, through her Department, gave the go ahead to build a 600 pupil school on a site yet to be determined. That site has been of considerable interest to the people of Tallaght and the wider community of Dublin 24.
At the moment there are 113 students in nine prefabricated buildings in an area which does not augur well for education. There are makeshift science laboratories and woodwork rooms, not the kind of facilities we need for a community school of Coláiste de h-Íde's status. Neither the students nor staff have canteen facilities. Pupils and staff also share washroom facilities. The Youthreach Programme, which vacated the premises in 1995 to facilitate the school and is now based in Lucan, is naturally annoyed and disappointed that it is not yet back in the area. I am sure the Minister is more than aware of these problems.
It might be sensible to draw together all groups with an interest in this case — the Department, the vocational education committee, the board of management of the school and the county council — so that together we can reach a decision on a site which is causing counsiderable confusion at the moment. This has been expressed frequently at meetings of South Dublin County Council and also on the board of the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee. I hope that as a result of this Adjournment we will move towards that resolution.
The immediate urgency that belies this problem is that in September next year, an additional 42 children will be coming into the school but there is no space for them at the moment. I reflect the views of all people concerned when I say that, unless the building is completed by that time, we will not be able to take these children into the school system. I know of the Minister's interest in this issue and I look forward to her reply.
