asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that the parents of the children attending Clounmacon school, County Kerry, are protesting strongly about the condition of the school; that a site was purchased for a new school over two years ago; and that a pump has already been sunk on this site to provide a piped water supply; and if so, if he will now give the cause of the delay in sanctioning the erection of the new school.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Condition of Kerry School.
33.
An investigation of the future trend of enrolments at Clounmacon school, County Kerry, indicates that in a few years time the average enrolments will not warrant the retention of a third teacher in the school. I am fully satisfied that it would be educationally unsound to create through the building of a new school a position in which the children of Clounmacon would for the next 80 years or so be dependent for their primary school education on a two-teacher school.
I am prepared, however, to have temporary works carried out in the existing Clounmacon school to render it suitable for a few years until future trends are finally established. The School Manager has been notified accordingly.
Is the Minister aware that this school is in a shocking condition? The roof is in danger of collapsing; the ceilings are cracked. One teacher said he could not see the pupils in the back seats.
Perhaps it is not very prudent for me to say anything in the House as I was so long absent from it, but would the Minister not agree that it is an appalling situation if there are conditions of that kind in even one school in Ireland today? Would you not think that the State is old enough—and millions have been spent wisely or unwisely down through the years—for the schools position to be much better than it is today, and that there should be no complaints of this kind?