I wish to share time with Deputy Coveney. The Minister of State will be aware that Ballincollig community school is one of five schools currently being provided with new school facilities under the public private partnership contract. A particular set of circumstances have arisen in the application of the contract in Ballincollig community school in that the existing hall-gymnasium which is a perfectly functional and useable building, is set for demolition with no new building being erected in its place. The contract providers want to provide a new gymnasium and subsequently re-adjust the rates charged for outside community groups who use the facility. As the Minister of State can imagine this is causing a great deal of community dissent.
If the Minister of State and the Government are interested in making public private partnerships work – he will be aware of my party's dubiousness regarding the particular application – they should meet the public in Ballincollig. Ballincollig, with a population of over 15,000, is more than justified in having two gymnasiums.
I hope the flexibility which exists in schools building projects conventionally put together is something that might be applied to this new once-off arrangement. In responding to my reservations and those of my colleagues in the constituency, I hope the Minister of State and the Government will take account of the concerns which exist in Ballincollig and the need for a resolution which takes account of the demands of the area and the much-needed community facilities.