I would like, with your permission, to share my time with Deputy Foley.
Adjournment Debate. - Listowel (Kerry) National School.
Who would object to that Kerry team?
I want to thank the Minister of State for his presence here tonight. This matter is of grave concern locally, to the Presentation Sisters, the parents concerned and teachers of Listowel primary school. Listowel convent primary school was built in 1883 and the building has remained almost unaltered since then. Over the past ten years major structural defects have appeared. The roof is sagging in places and the slates are loose and present a constant threat to pupils and teachers in times of high wind. Because of their concern, the school authorities commissioned an engineer to present a report on the condition of the building to determine its safety. The report was very critical of the structure and recommended its replacement.
In the early seventies the building was condemend by the Department of Health. It was considered at that time to be a health hazard and a fire hazard. There is no fire escape from the upper floor where there are three classrooms and an office. There would probably be 120 students and four staff there at any one time. I do not have to point out the scramble there would be down a very narrow stairway if there was a fire. This fire hazard aspect must be considered. The classrooms are very damp and very uncomfortable for the pupils and the teachers. The Minister will agree that this is not an environment conducive to learning. It is unfair to expect pupils and teachers to get the best out of the learning process under these conditions.
I realise there has been a considerable time lapse since the grant application was first made for this school. I appreciate that access arrangements gave rise to some complications when the project reached the planning permission stage and took much longer to clear up than usual. However, at this stage, all arrangements have been made. The contractor has been appointed and all that remains is to have this contract signed. I ask the Minister to ensure that minor details, such as changing windows, would be sorted out with the builder as the project gets under way so that the building of the school is not unduly held up.
At present there are 376 pupils attending the school, more than 100 of them in the two prefabs at the back of the school. These prefabs are divided into four classrooms. The buildings are porous and dilapidated and are not suitable for pupils or teachers. The parents are very concerned about the condition of the school and are anxious that the contractor comes on the site as soon as possible. I am sure these parents have made similar requests to Deputy Foley because they have been continously reminding me of the urgency of building this school.
Last February they were given some hope when the then Minister of State, Deputy Enda Kenny, approved the contract for this school and they were hoping the building would commence in the summer. They find it very hard to understand why this work has not started since work on other schools, which had gone to contract at the same time, has been started. I understand there was a problem with numbers, that numbers in the school have fallen, but there is another arrangement which compensates for that.
I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Presentation Sisters and the teachers for their wonderful contribution to education in Listowel town and the surrounding area over the years. This order have been running this school for over 100 years and they must be congratulated for their commitment to education in the area. Again I appeal to the Minister to sanction the contract and ensure it is signed as soon as possible.
I wish to thank Deputy Deenihan for giving me some of his time to discuss this very important project for North Kerry. I endorse the points made by the Deputy as regards the delay in placing the contract for the proposed new building for Listowel girls' convent school. Deputy Deenihan outlined the present condition of the school and the conditions under which the sisters and the teachers have to work. It is most disappointing that this project has been ongoing for ten years. The school and the facilities are most unsuitable.
The Presentation Sisters made a suitable site available almost seven years ago. As I said, this new school was first mooted in 1980 and tenders were invited towards the end of 1985. A contractor was selected in 1986 but to date the work has not been started. I accept that problems arose as soon as the tender was accepted, but I understand they have now been resolved.
Having made representations on this project over the years, I am satisfied it has progressed to the stage of making a start, and I thank the present Minister for this. I appeal to him to give this project the green light before Christmas because it will serve a twofold purpose for Listowel. First, it will satisfy the board of management, the sisters, the teachers and the people of Listowel to know that the building of the new school will start in the new year. Secondly, it will give much needed employment to the town and surrounding area.
I thank the Minister for his personal interest in this school since taking office. Again I endorse the sentiments expressed by Deputy Deenihan as regards the Presentation Sisters and the teaching staff but particularly the sisters who have done tremendous work over the years under terrible conditions.
My Department's agreement in principle was given in July 1980 to grant-aid a new building for the Listowel Convent girls' national school to replace their existing unsuitable building. I do not think it necessary to recount in detail the development of events, through the various architectural planning stages and the legal formalities associated with the provision by the convent of a new site for the proposed building, as I am sure both Deputies are fairly familiar with the early history of the project.
Tenders for the project were invited in the latter half of 1985 and were duly received in and examined by my Department. It was, however, noted that the average enrolments at the girls' national school were declining, and it was necessary in accordance with normal procedure to review and assess the implications of the trend. It became apparent that the original expectation that a 14 classroom school as designed and tendered for would not be needed, and that a ten classroom school would be adequate for the school in the long term.
In the light of the enrolment figures, the chairperson and members of the school's board of management were invited to meet officers of my Department to discuss the implications. It was put to them that having regard to the nature of the architectural plan which proposed two two-storey classroom blocks — one with eight classrooms, four up and four down, and another with six classrooms, three up and three down, with a general purposes area linking the two blocks — the best option, if construction work were to be begun in the immediate future, and if the architectural plans were not to be completely redrawn, would be to omit from the proposed contract the six classroom block. This would have had the effect of leaving a shortfall of two classrooms, but it was felt that this omission could very readily be provided for if necessary by the design and construction of a small classroom annexe to the new building at a later date.
Arising out of these discussions, the idea emerged and was subsequently put to my Department, that the block proposed to be omitted could be redesigned with a view to accommodating the pupils of Lixnaw Special School which is located some miles away. The provision of accommodation for this special school had also been approved in principle for grant-aid by my Department.
The delay referred to by the Deputies arises from the work which has had to be carried out by the Department's professional officers to establish the feasibility of the proposal to accommodate the two schools on the one campus. I hesitate to embark on a discussion of the technical problems of taking an existing plan which has been designed for one purpose, and indeed is the subject of a tender, and adapting it to suit the purposes of an altogether different type of school. One of the main problems was concerned with an attempt to provide some additional facilities required by the special school without, at the same time, overshooting the budget for the original project and some compromises on this are being worked out.
I assure the Deputies that the feasibility study on the special school accommodation will be completed as early as possible. In view of the Deputies' interest I am asking that the matter be expedited and am making arrangements to communicate further with them as soon as possible.
The Dáil adjourned at 10.50 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 10 December 1987.