I thank the Chair for allowing me to raise this very important issue on the Adjournment. I also thank the Minister for coming in at this late hour to respond, positively I hope. Ballybay Community College has been seeking an extension for at least ten years, and it was first announced as having got the go-ahead in 2000. It is the only VEC school in County Monaghan which has not had its needs recognised by the Government over many years.
The extension is absolutely essential. In the early 1980s, the school was under pressure. The then Deputy, John F. Conlon, led a delegation to the Fine Gael Minister for Education, Deputy John Boland, who is now deceased. The Minister gave the school leaving certificate status, which was a major boost at the time. Today, it is academically the highest-achieving VEC school in County Monaghan, despite the fact that it is desperately overcrowded and dependent on prefabs. Were the building in private hands, would it be allowed to remain in business by the health and safety authorities? I do not think so. It is certainly not suitable for modern educational needs.
In May 2002, before the general election, the main Government party, Fianna Fáil, announced that work on the extension would begin in the autumn of that year. The local Senator rang the school last spring to advise that it was on the list, but unfortunately he had not read exactly where it was on it. It was certainly of no benefit to its getting the go-ahead this year. Teachers and pupils in Ballybay Community College deserve sincere congratulations on how well they are doing, taking their difficulties into account. I hope there is no alternative agenda. A recent report condemned small schools, but Ballybay Community College proves that such schools, properly run, can do a great job.
The new extension to Castleblaney College was opened by the Minister, Deputy Martin, in 2000. At that ceremony, the Minister clearly recognised the unsuitability of the structure across the road, where the national primary N2 roadway forms part of the campus, with 1,400 crossings made there each day. It is nothing short of a miracle that a serious incident has not happened. It was announced in the local papers just before the election in April 2002 that a €2.6 million investment was to take place. Of course, that did not happen. The Department agreed a schedule in 2002 as a result of a meeting with the Minister, Deputy Woods, in 2001. He also recognised the serious situation of the school. The VEC met the Minister, Deputy Dempsey, on 23 May 2003. He had meetings with a very active parents association and the board of management. He also recognised the problem.
The crossing is not the only problem. The building across the road was built in 1951 and its condition is serious. The windows are falling apart and damp is rising up through the floor. The land across the road, together with the adjacent land, is worth a great deal of money. I believe that it could provide funds towards building a proper structure on the other side of the road with the main building. The Minister suggested, when he met the parents and others, that he would provide prefabs in the short-term to relieve the issue. However, when one looks at the site, as he did later, and sees how small it is one sees that one would have to put the prefabs on top of each other, and that is not an ideal situation. I urge that the two schools be funded as a matter of urgency in the interests of health and safety.
