I thank you a Leas-Cheann Comhairle and the Ceann Comhairle, for affording me the opportunity of raising this important matter on the Adjournment. I wish to concur with the statements of the Minister for Justice, and Deputy McCartan, on the release of the Birmingham Six. It was a joyous occasion for us all to watch the emotional scenes outside the Old Bailey this last hour. We wish them every happiness on their release.
St. Columba's Comprehensive School is situated in Glenties, County Donegal, with an enrolment of 450 pupils. It serves the Glenties, Ardara, Portnoo, Maas areas and would be considered one of the most rural and scattered catchment areas in the country. However, the enrolment is healthy and is expected to increase over the next few years. The school has an excellent record of academic achievement throughout the area and is staffed by a dedicated corps of committed teachers.
From next Wednesday, 20 March, industrial action is being taken by the staff due to the failure to resolve a long-running dispute with the Department of Education over their refusal to sanction permanent teaching posts in the school. Last May two permanent whole-time teaching posts were nationally advertised for Glenties. Two teachers who replied were consequently appointed by the board of management of the school. They left permanent positions elsewhere to come to Glenties. However, the Department of Education refused to sanction the positions as advertised, advising that they be filled in a temporary whole-time capacity, that is, on a year to year basis. The two newly appointed teachers, who left permanent positions elsewhere, now find themselves with no permanency or security of tenure in St. Columba's Comprehensive School, Glenties. I understand the board of management appealed the Department's decision but without success.
Since 1985 the Department have been refusing to sanction permanent posts in the school. The Department claim that all such appointments must await the introduction of a redeployment scheme for community and comprehensive schools in the country. Despite this claim the Department have, I understand, sanctioned permanent posts in other such schools, for example, Bishopstown Community School, Cork; Tarbert Comprehensive School, Kerry; Shannon Community School, Clare and a few others. It seems that they have been treated more favourably than Glenties who have been subjected to the full rigours of the embargo. In addition while the redeployment scheme for secondary schools was being negotiated permanent positions in secondary schools were also, I understand, sanctioned by the Department.
The TUI have co-operated with the Department of Education on the issue of a redeployment scheme for community and comprehensive schools. In 1989, at the request of the Department, the TUI met with the ASTI and the management board for these schools, namely, the Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools, and agreed a draft redeployment scheme. This was presented to the Department late in 1989. The Department undertook to respond to these proposals at a meeting in December 1989. That meeting was deferred, was never rescheduled and to date the Department have not responded to proposals. In this context it is unacceptable that the comprehensive schools in Glenties and, indeed, all other community and comprehensive schools, be refused sanction for permanent posts which are justified by enrolment.
The two posts in Glenties were previously held by permanent teachers — one up to 1985 when the teacher resigned, the second arose because of the death of a teacher. The teachers who now hold these posts resigned permanent posts on the understanding that the posts in Glenties would be permanent. The board of management of the school has been backing the claim of the TUI and teachers to have these posts made permanent. A public meeting was held in Glenties last Tuesday — 12 March — where overwhelming support was expressed for the teachers and their campaign by the parents and the entire community.
I am asking the Minister, and the Minister of State — I appreciate his coming in here this evening — to immediately recognise the permanency of the appointed teachers so as to avoid a strike that could have serious consequences for the pupils of Glenties, particularly those who are preparing for examinations. The patience of the union and teachers is exhausted at this stage after many years of procrastination and fruitless efforts to find an agreeable solution to this long-running dispute with the Department who are obstinate in the extreme.
My final appeal to the Minister, and the Minister of State, who is in the Chamber this evening, is to act now so that the classrooms of St. Columba's Comprehensive School, Glenties, will be open to the 450 pupils when they arrive at the school next Wednesday morning.
