Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)

Ba mhaith liom an rún seo a ardú thar ceann Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair, pobal Ghaoth Dobhair agus páistí Ghaoth Dobhair. Iarraim ar an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta ligint don togra seo — halla corpoideachais nua ag Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair — dul ar aghaidh go dtí an chéad chéim eile chomh luath agus is féidir. Tá caint ar halla spórt sa scoil ó 1982, nó b'fhéidir roimhe sin. Tá pobal Ghaoth Dobhair, go háirithe na scoláirí atá ag freastal ar an scoil, ag fanacht go géar leis an áis seo a bheith ar fáil. Tá níos mó ná €100,000 baillithe go háitiúil ag an mbord bainistíochta, agus pobal Ghaoth Dobhair, chun cabhrú leis an togra seo a chur ar fáil. Ar ndóigh, tá €480,000 ar fáil ón Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta. Tá deontas eile de €740,000 á lorg ón Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta. Tá cead de dhíth ón Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta an togra seo a chur ar aghaidh go dtí an chéad chéim eile — tairiscintí a lorg agus an togra a chur chuig an stad "tender".

The issue I raise this evening relates to a physical education hall for Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair. Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair is located in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht. It is one of a small number of second level schools in the Gaeltacht that teaches through the medium of Irish. It is also one of the few secondary schools in the country with no physical education hall. That might have been an oversight when the school was built in the 1980s. Obviously, if it were being built today, the architectural planning would make such provision. However, it was not provided when the school was built and the students have been without that facility since then.

I am seeking approval for this project from the Minister for Education and Science and highlighting its urgency. The local community, in consultation with the board of management, has raised over €100,000 as the local contribution to the project. We are very grateful for the assistance given by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, at which Deputy Curran is the Minister of State. It has sanctioned €480,000 for the physical education hall. All that is now required is the approval of the Minister for Education and Science for the school to proceed to tender so the project can be taken to the next stage. A sum of approximately €720,000 is required from the Department of Education and Science.

I appreciate there are competing demands from all over the country for capital projects for school extensions, new schools, schools for developing areas and so forth. However, the case I raise should be highlighted. Physical education is critically important to the well-being of children as they develop. It assists with personal development. The children in this secondary school are prohibited from engaging in the full physical education curriculum because of the weather. They cannot train or participate in sport or physical activity outdoors when the weather is very bad, as it often is in Donegal. Therefore the physical education hall is required. That is why I highlight the matter. All we need is approval from the Minister for Education and Science to go to tender. This is what I seek to achieve and I wish to highlight to the Minister of State that this project is of great importance to the greater Gaoth Dobhair community and especially to the future of Pobailscoil Gaoth Dobhair.