I thank you for the opportunity to raise this important matter.
The Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, would agree with me that the Glanmire area of Cork is one of the fastest growing satellite areas of Cork city. In the coming two years approximately 1,800 new houses will be built. There is also ongoing commercial development such as banks and so on to provide the necessary facilities in the area. The local GAA club, Sarsfield's, are spending large sums of money in developing their facilities for the youth of the area.
There are, however, no second level schools in this area. For the past ten years an excellent local committee has been campaigning with the full support of the local community for second level educational facilities. The first concession from the Department of Education came in the early nineties when they provided financial assistance to the local community to bus the children to schools in other areas. More than 600 students are bussed out of Glanmire every day to 12 schools, including schools in Carrignavar, Midleton and St. Aidan's College in Dublin Hill. That shows the magnitude of the problem.
There was great rejoicing when it was agreed finally that a school would be built. Everybody welcomed that decision. There was unanimous political support for the campaign and everybody worked together to ensure that the case articulated by the local community was made. We had been told that building would proceed on the school from the middle of last month, but unfortunately that has not happened. There were hiccups along the way earlier but this was the final straw.
The local committee had sent out circulars advising the local people that the school was proceeding. However, this has not happened and there is widespread local concern that the school will not be ready to allow pupils enrol for September 1997.
I am delighted that the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, my colleague from Cork, is taking this Adjournment Debate. I rarely raise an issue on the Adjournment but it is very important to convey the concerns of the people of Glanmire. I understand there are problems, but I have been told they are minute. Will the Minister of State enlighten us as to when these problems will be resolved and, more importantly, when work will begin on this urgently needed school? Everybody is agreed on the need for the school to relieve pressure.