It is regrettable that the Minister of State at the Department of Public Enterprise is answering this matter on which I have tried to contact the Department of Education and Science to get the latest information.
This is not the first occasion on which I have raised the inadequate facilities in Muckross Park School, a girls' school located in the heart of Dublin 4, where the students are from solid, middle class backgrounds. Behind the affluent facade, however, much is wrong. I have received letters from many parents and raised the issue with the Minister. Parents tell me that the school urgently needs to deal with the present substandard and overcrowded conditions. As there is no room for one third of the students in the main building, six classes, totalling 180 girls, are taught in three old prefabs which are more than 25 years old. Features include totally inadequate heating and insulation, leaking roofs, doors and windows, windows that do not shut properly, toilets in only one of the three prefabs, holes in the doors and walls, and condensation and damp throughout.
This is totally unacceptable, but it reflects the reality of the Celtic tiger. My new constituency colleague, Mr. McDowell of the Progressive Democrats, appeared on "Prime Time" during the week to tell us what would happen if the Green Party was in government. I made the point that the Green Party is in government in Finland and Germany and there would never be such accommodation in schools in those countries. This is the eighth richest State in the world, but look at our services – public transport, education and health. They are completely run down. This shows that our priorities are completely wrong.
There was a delay in dealing with the question of tendering for prefabricated classrooms. Tenders were submitted by Muckross Park School in November 2001 to the Department of Education and Science from which there had been no word at the end of January. Sanction may have issued since, but the delay is unacceptable at a time when money is available. Education should be at the top of our priorities.
If the Government cannot act to assist affluent areas, God help those in the areas of our city where people do not have money. They will be in a dreadful state. I hope when it comes to Muckross Park School these unacceptable delays will not continue.