I seek an updated report on the purchase of a site for Gaelscoil de hÍde in Oranmore, followed by the construction of the school. This is an incredible story, and it is difficult to believe it is still going on. In 1994, 16 years ago, this gaelscoil was started in prefabs. It is still operating in prefabs. That is a significant date for me as my son was born in 1994. I considered sending him to this school. Last week he completed his junior certificate examination and there is still no permanent construction in Gaelscoil de hÍde in Oranmore.
I wish to quote from an e-mail I got from a mother on 24 February of this year. It states:
Hi Fidelma,
Just wondering if you knew anything about the "New" Gaelscoil de hÍde? Will it ever happen? I have such little faith in a new school being built during my children's term. As it is, my son gets only 10 min play outside (on a dry day) due to space.
The population of the school is dense on a half acre. There are 250 children — 209 in the primary school and 40 in the naíonra, and they all share that same half acre space, including all of the prefabs.
I will give the Minister an interesting statistic. It is widely known that Manilla, in the Philippines, has the highest density of population per square kilometre, with 44,000 people per square kilometre, but Gaelscoil de hÍde in Oranmore has the highest density of population. It has 0.17 of a hectare for 250 children — a density of 180,000 persons per square kilometre. Most of us live on a half acre, including the house. This school is operating with 250 children and 20 adults on that half acre. There is a timetable for children to go out to play for ten minutes at a time. It is ridiculous.
I cannot tell the Minister of State the number of Ministers and TDs who have visited this school and made promises with regard to the building. The education in the school is second to none. It is an extremely popular school, and all of the parents in the area are choosing to educate their children through Irish. The parish of Oranmore-Maree is bulging at its seams due to the construction growth and the population growth from early in 2000. If the children were not educated in this school they would have to be educated somewhere else, and there is no space elsewhere in terms of primary school places in the area.
In 2006-2007 I achieved a band rating one for this school with Galway County Council because it was an area of pressing priority and extreme population growth. This is a school that has fallen between many stools and has been the subject of Celtic tiger promises around developer led projects and sites.
As the mother in the e-mail stated:
Will [the school] ever happen?
I have heard that another prefab is going in for September [I can confirm that] which will leave us with no play area and a very big health hazard waiting to happen. 250 children on a half acre site with no play area or hall . . . . not good enough.
Any info would be grateful regarding this matter.
In addition to the current population there will be an extra 31 children come September.
First, what is the hold up with regard to this project? I held off submitting this Adjournment matter until now because I was told that a decision was imminent. It has not happened. Second, what can the Minister do subsequent to sorting the issue of the site to fast-track the construction of Gaelscoil de hÍde? I look forward to hearing the Minister's response.
