Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Nov 1993

Vol. 436 No. 3

Adjournment Debate. - Ballybrohan (Clare) School.

Mr. Carey

I thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, for allowing me to raise this very important matter on the Adjournment. I had put down a Special Notice Question to the Minister concerning the inordinate delay in sanctioning the contract for Ballybrohan national school, Ogonelloe, County Clare and the closure of a temporary school due to rat infestation. Ballybrohan national school serves the children of the parish of Ogonelloe which is south of Scarriff on the banks of Lough Derg. On 17 December 1992 a storm blew the roof of the prefabricated classrooms. Special temporary classrooms were set up by the local community in the local hall as an emergency measure. Since then difficulties have arisen in the school, one of which is rat infestation and which forced the parents, two weeks ago, to withdraw their 25 children from the school.

Much of the frustration, which began in 1990, is caused by promises made by successive Ministers regarding the sanctioning of the contract for the new school. On 22 February 1993 I received a letter from the Minister for Education, Deputy Bhreathnach, which states:

Dear Donal,

I wish to inform you that, on the basis of the increased provision of £18.7 million allocated this year for the national schools capital programme, I have authorised that the major building project sanctioned for Ogonelloe/Ballybrohan national school should proceed to contract during 1993.

Officials of the Planning and Bilding Unit of my Department will be making the necessary arrangements in consultation with the school authorities.

I am delighted to bring you such good news.

I conveyed that in good faith to the people who asked me to make representations on their behalf. I was aghast to learn about this latest incident and that no commencement date has yet been set for the project. The chairperson of the parents' association is correct to say that they cannot believe politicians any more. The Minister sent me a letter — which I forwarded in good faith — outlining in simple language that the project sanctioned for Ogonelloe-Ballybrohan national school should proceed to contract during 1993 yet the Department has gone back on its word. Why did the Minister renege on her responsibilities? Surely it is her responsibility to ensure that children are not taught in rat infested temporary buildings in Ogonelloe?

The Minister has an opportunity to set a date for the commencement of the project. The children have had to recover from the traumatic event of having the roof taken off but they are being disturbed by further problems. Will the Minister state the date on which it is intended to authorise the commencement of this project?

Minister of State at the Department of Education (Mr. Aylward)

I thank Deputy Carey for raising this matter on the Adjournment. It gives me an opportunity to place on record the plans of the Department of Education for Ballybrohan national school, County Clare. I cannot disagree with what the Deputy said. However, the Department's commitment remains the same and he received his commitment in writing.

In 1990 approval was granted to the chairman of the school to erect a three classroom school with ancillaries at Ballybrohan, County Clare. The new school was to replace a permanent two classroom and two prefabricated classroom school which were in urgent need of replacement. At that stage a general purposes room was to be included in the plans. The agreement then reached was that the full cost of the general purposes room was to be a local liability.

General purpose rooms have not been grant-aided for some years by the Department as the available money is, of necessity, expended on essential classroom accommodation. Discussions took place between officials of my Department and the chairman of the board of management and an agreement was reached that, to reduce local expenditure, if numbers increased in the school to justify a fourth classroom then that classroom should be increased in size to allow its use on occasion as a general purposes room. The excess size of the classroom was to be a local liability. Let me emphasise that this agreement was made.

Plans for a four classroom school progressed on this basis — one of the classrooms to be of enlarged proportions.

Working drawings and tender documentation were completed in February 1992.

Because of falling enrolments the chairman sought a meeting with officers of my Department in December 1992 to discuss the additional general purposes area and the payment by local contribution for the extra area in question. It was then decided that future enrolments should be confirmed before allowing the project to progress to tender to ensure that there would not be overprovision of facilities at the school. The enrolment figures confirmed that the numbers would decrease to 86 pupils and that by 1994 the number would justify three teachers only.

The Department then decided to adjust the existing plans and informed the chairman accordingly. The plans are now available for a three classroom school, a teachers' room and a library cum medical room together with the usual ancillaries. A new ball-court is also planned as is the norm for new schools.

The new plans for the school are being forwarded to the chairman to allow him seek the requisite full planning permission for the revised scheme.

I am aware that the two prefabricated buildings were damaged by storm in December 1992 and my Department grant-aided the development of the local hall to make it suitable as far as possible as a temporary measure for school use pending the building of the new school. Grant-aid to the value of £6,900 was expended on this temporary measure to tide the school over until such time as the new school replaced the existing facilities.

As regards the Deputy's question in relation to rat infestation, this is a matter for the board of management of the school, whose responsibility is to look after the day-to-day running of the school. The Department allocates capitation grants for the upkeep and maintenance of the school on an annual basis and matters of cleanliness, heating and general hygiene come into this category.

However, as I indicated, the revised plans are being forwarded to the chairman and the provision of the replacement school is a matter of top priority. I rarely say on the Adjournment that I can guarantee funds for a project but on this occasion I can say the funds are available for the progression of this project and I will ensure that everything possible is done to expedite it.