asked the Minister for Finance the length of time it has taken to build the National School in Rathcoole, County Dublin; and when he expects this school to be ready for occupation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rathcoole (Dublin) School.
53.
Work on the erection of Rathcoole National School commenced in July, 1963. As I informed the Deputy in reply to a previous question progress by the contractors has been unsatisfactory and I share the Deputy's concern at the length of time it has taken to complete this school. The Commissioners of Public Works are continuing to press the contractors to finish and it is expected that the building will be ready for occupation in two weeks.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that I was promised that if the contractor continued to fail to build this school, the job would be done by direct labour and is he aware that I was given the assurance that the school would be ready for occupation after the summer holidays?
The question arose as to the advisability, on the one hand, of having the work completed by direct labour or, on the other hand, of getting the contractor to go ahead with the work himself. The choice of these propositions was aimed at getting the job done as quickly as possible. The decision was taken to let the contractor do it and since that decision was taken, the full staff have been working on the job.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the same contractor was employed to build the school at Portmarnock and that the work had to be finished by direct labour?
Which contractor?
The contractor working at Rathcoole.
Is the Deputy referring to some other school?
To the school at Portmarnock. The work had to be completed by direct labour.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the same contractor got a contract in County Meath some months ago and that the Parliamentary Secretary assured me because of the improvement in that contractor's work, it was quite safe to give him the contract? Is the Parliamentary Secretary satisfied that the political pressures were sufficient?
There was no dissatisfaction with the performance of this contractor. Obviously, in the Rathcoole national school project, his performance has been unsatisfactory and it became a question of getting the school built as quickly as possible. It was decided, rightly in view of all the technicalities, that the contractor would finish the job better and quicker than it would have been done if the contract had been taken away from him.
Is it not a fact that he spent three years building a small rural school?
Paddy Crosbie should operate his Back-to-School programme from there.