I wish to outline the deplorable conditions that are in existence at Kilkee Community College in County Clare. The Minister of State is well aware that I, and other public representatives, have made many representations to the Department on this matter. I also visited the school on a number of occasions so I can comment from first hand experience.
The community college campaign has now been on the road for ten years. The west Clare community saw this school as a lifeline, a sign that the Government saw the area as having a future. The Government laid emphasis on all their policies but in particular the need for decentralisation, to keep people on the land in their own areas and to give them the opportunity not only to be educated but to work there. I hope they will give a clear signal, once again, that they will give west Clare priority in this regard to ensure that the young people in that area have an opportunity to avail of the best possible education in their local schools, both primary and secondary.
Because there have been so many delays in relation to this project a number of pessimists in the area feel that this school will never be provided and that there will be no further developments. I would like to be able to allay their fears and I am sure the Minister of State will do his best in his reply.
I wish to emphasise that the buildings and the access ways in the old vocational college are in an atrocious condition. There is no doubt that most of the buildings on the site are dangerous and should not be occupied. The same applies in the case of the old convent school. We are talking about three different sites in relation to this school and many of the buildings should be demolished.
I should like to concentrate on two of the buildings, the convent and the old vocational school which are a little over half a mile apart. One can imagine how much valuable teaching time is wasted given that the unfortunate pupils have to spend so much time each day manoeuvring from one site to another. I will give the Minister of State a number of examples when the debate concludes but I will give one obvious example now. One pupil loses 30 minutes teaching time in moving from one site to another. That is to be deplored.
I wish to emphasise that not only are the buildings inadequate for their purpose but they are also dangerous. Between the two main sites there are 23 classrooms, 14 of which are prefabs. Nine of these have far exceeded their lifespan and seven of the nine are dangerous and should not be occupied. Indeed, I am aware that one recently had to be demolished and the students have to take classes in an annex of a disused factory in the town.
Given the state of the buildings, and the lack of facilities, the students had to be sent home on two occasions while certain sections of the school had to be evacuated on several occasions. The electrical wiring and appliances in the school are a serious cause for concern. There are a number of makeshift corridors and one can imagine, when it rains, the rivulets which run through those corridors. In addition there are a number of holes in the floor of some prefabs which threaten limbs. This is not the kind of facility that we should have in today's world in which to educate our young people.
There are hidden costs in running the school, for example, heating costs. Because of the nature of the buildings the heating bills are astronomical, yet there is insufficient heat within the classrooms.
I would like to mention two subjects in particular, the home economics course and science. The home economics course has to be taken in the convent area. Not only is the classroom inadequate, there are no facilities. There are two cookers one of which is not working. The teachers have told me that they have to rely on the theory as they cannot do any practical work given the lack of facilities.
The same applies in the case of the science building in the old vocational school. The only science equipment that appears to be available is a few bunsen burners. This means that the teachers have to rely on chalk-and-talk which can be seen as a disadvantage in the case of many of the students. We do not want any student in west Clare, or anywhere else, to be placed at a serious disadvantage due to the inadequacy of facilities, both structural and educational. This point is particularly important at a time when so much emphasis is being put on technological education. We do not even have the simple necessities within the school system at Kilkee.
Let me conclude by saying that the parents, the pupils and teachers are only too well aware of the financial difficulties facing the Government. However I implore them to take this opportunity to grant permission to invite tenders so that the initial work can commence on the school. I would not raise this matter if it was not of extreme importance to the people of Kilkee and the west Clare area. I wish to take this opportunity to publicly thank the Minister of State for showing concern and taking a great interest in this matter. I also thank him for agreeing to visit the school to assess the situation on 11 June.
