The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is most welcome to Seanad Éireann.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this Commencement matter and I thank the Minister of State for being here to take it. While it is not a Commencement matter specifically on special educational needs, I am delighted I have a Minister from the Department of Education and Youth here.

Tiernascragh National School in County Galway has 56 pupils attending. It has grown its numbers over the last number of years. The growth is down to good leadership in the school from the principal, staff and board of management. Most importantly, it is down to the loyal parents who have elected to keep their community school alive.

I am disappointed to say that on 16 April last year, the school received a response from the Department of education regarding an accommodation needs assessment. The Department said that it was moving away from renting modular units. Although the school has two classes and a small room where it provides SEN supports, the Department said that it was no longer renting modular units. The school was told it would either have to wait 18 months for the Department to make a determination on whether it qualifies for a purpose-built modular fix on site or more than six years to put concrete in the ground. The school was also asked to see if there was a community hall available, which the Department of education would rent for it.

A little bit like Kiskeam where the Minister of State comes from, Tiernascragh is one of those little parishes. It is so small that there is no connecting footpath from the church to the community centre, which is on the opposite side of the road. We talk about inclusive education and integration, and this school is doing it all. It is not right that we would provide funding to allow the kids to walk to a community centre when there is no footpath. If there was an accident and something happened to a teacher or pupils, we would be leaving that teacher open to a health and safety risk. The risk has not been assessed here and common sense is not prevailing.

Can we not use the money available to rent the community centre to rent a modular unit? I have a principal who is saying, "Just give me a classroom". Keep the students on site. Let them play inclusive games and engage in inclusive education, but, most of all, let us keep everyone safe.

Where, in the name of God, during the accommodation needs assessment was that risk assessment carried out? Was it another desktop exercise where someone looked at Tiernascragh National School with its 56 pupils and decided that if the school does not go with the community centre, it will be asked to do team teaching with two teachers in a classroom. There are four teachers in the junior section and four in the senior section, but there will be two teachers teaching in the class. That is like having two housewives in the one kitchen. It does not happen and would not work. A mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law would not happen, so why would we expect teachers to do team teaching?

I have no doubt the Minister of State has a response for me because I am on this case, but I am looking for sense to prevail.

I welcome the opportunity to speak about Tiernascragh National School and am delighted that the Senator mentioned Kiskeam, the centre of the universe.

Joking aside, I welcome the opportunity to take this issue on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Naughton, who is responsible for the capital programmes.

As the Senator is aware, Tiernascragh National School in County Galway is a mixed Catholic school, located within the Portumna school planning area. It has 53 pupils enrolled for the 2025-26 school year, according to the information I have. The school has an additional school accommodation application with the Department for one mainstream classroom.

The Senator will also be aware that the Department recently published the €7.55 billion national development plan, NDP, sectoral investment plan for the period 2026 to 2030. This places a strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and the prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard, there will also be a strong emphasis on special education.

In relation to the issue raised by the Senator, it is important that the Department works with the school's authorities. In her next contribution, will the Senator tease through the issues with the community hall and its facilities? In some instances where there are capacity issues, the Department is looking at community facilities to meet the immediate needs of the school community, but it will always been on a short-term basis while we try to find a permanent solution.

In the past, we would be looking at a permanent or modular building. The Department is always looking to ensure that the best possible value for money is obtained. Given the ongoing need across the entirety of the school estate and despite the fact that billions have been put into the system in the recent years, value for money remains important.

We need to get a sense of this. This small school has grown its enrolment over time, which is a testament to the work done by the school leadership and the whole school community. It is a great sign. I would like to tease out where this school is at. I will go back to the Department and ask it to engage with the school authorities. The Senator might outline the position, and I will respond in my subsequent contribution.

I thank the Minister of State for both his contribution and his leadership regarding how to move to the next phase. With regard to the short-term position, I hear him very clearly. The community centre is about 250 m down the road but, as outlined, there is no footpath. I would welcome it if there were a ray of hope that this was a very short-term solution while we wait for a modular unit to be leased or for planning permission to come through. No doubt there will be a planning permission query, even if we are putting down a rented building, because we are changing the footprint. We accept that and the teachers accept it, so there is no issue arising. What we need is a plan and a pathway to ensure that this happens within a short period. That would bridge the gap.

The fear about the community centre arises from the perspective of the community itself. There is no shop there any more. Other than the church and the school, all we have left is the community centre. We live on the banks of the River Shannon. It is the only place that people will congregate after a funeral or a month’s mind. However, we are going to say to the teacher that they should: put in all the books and take out all the books; put away all the tables and take out all the tables; walk the children up and down the road; supervise all the playing; and carry the risk. At the same time, we are taking one of the hubs of the community out of circulation.

The board of management members are from the parish. They want to keep it all working. They will work with the Minister of State if he can give us options.

I take the point in relation to community centres being a short-term solution. This discommodes communities in a major way. Community centres are hubs for social events and family gatherings. I have been with school communities in my area that have used them in the short term, but they are never satisfactory because permanent solutions are needed. We do not need a short-term solution. We need to look at the issue.

The Senator might come back to me after this discussion with regard to the enrolment for September next. The school should have a reasonable idea at this stage as to what the enrolment will be. I will take this back and ask the Department to engage with the school community. In the first instance, we might get the projected enrolment for 2026-27 from the school community, and take it from there.

Before I call the next speaker, I welcome to Seanad Éireann the guests of the Minister of State, Deputy Robert Troy, to the Visitors Gallery. They are from Scoil Eoin Naofa, Ballymore, County Westmeath. I am sure the Minister told them that when people visit Seanad Éireann, the extra benefit outside of hearing the wisdom of the Senators is that they also have no homework for the rest of the week. They should make sure the teachers implement that little policy.