I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle for allowing me raise this matter and I thank the Minister for coming here to reply. I would like to share some of my time with Deputy Connaughton.
Adjournment Debate. - Glenamaddy (Galway) School.
I am sure that is satisfactory.
We have a good coalition arrangement.
The overcrowded accommodation at St. Joseph's national school, Glenamaddy, is well known to the Department. I have given the Minister details of this matter on a number of occasions. There are four classrooms and a prefabricated classroom to accommodate the five teachers in the school. The present classrooms are not adequate. St. Joseph's national school was one of the 20 primary schools in County Galway found to be seriously substandard in a nationwide survey carried out by the INTO. That survey revealed that there are 170 such schools in the country and that County Galway had the highest number.
St. Joseph's national school has 140 pupils and because of the large numbers attending the school and the small classrooms, the classes are split. I sent a copy of the Tuam Herald of 11 November to the Minister. That newspaper carried a picture of the children sitting on the floor for a particular class. There were 37 pupils in the class but only seating for 28. The school authorities have done all that was asked of them. They rented a prefabricated classroom and the Department provided 50 per cent of its rental cost. Later the Department proposed that the school authority should purchase the prefabricated building and it did so. At this stage I appeal to the Minister to allow the project proceed to tender. I understand it is proposed to convert the present four classrooms to two classrooms and to build an extension to provide three extra classrooms. I appeal to the Minister to give this project the go-ahead. It was hoped that the project would start in 1993 and I am hopeful it will now start in 1994 and that St. Joseph's national school, Glenamaddy will have a happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.
I thank Deputy Kitt for allowing me the opportunity to make a brief contribution on this matter. I am delighted the Minister for Education is present. I support Deputy Kitt's case for the proposed extension to St. Joseph's national school, Glenamaddy. I visited the school a few months ago. My impression of the school was of one completely overcrowded. The teachers and pupils could not perform with any degree of efficiency because of the lack of space. There were children in every corner. The teachers literally had to guide their classes by standing on top of the furniture. Not alone were the classrooms overcrowded but the prefab to which Deputy Kitt referred has added to the school's problems.
The school has a hardworking board of management that has done a great deal of work to collect funds locally for the proposed extension. It is located in a disadvantaged area. The board of management has strived to do all it can to assist this project. The school management has requested a remedial teacher for St. Joseph's national school, and for the cluster of schools in the parish. I know this matter is dear to the Minister's heart.
I am glad of the opportunity the two Deputies have presented me with to clarify the position in relation to this matter. This school has 140 pupils on rolls with a staff of a principal plus five assistants. My Department accepts that the existing facilities at the school are unsatisfactory and should be improved, and has given approval in principle for a major building project at this school. The project will include the conversion of the four existing undersized permanent classrooms to two larger classrooms, and the provision of two new permanent classrooms, together with the adaptation of the other existing accommodation to provide the requisite ancillary facilities.
On the basis of enrolment trends my Department considers that the fifth teaching post will only be retained in the short term and has agreed to grant-aid the purchase by the school authorities of the existing temporary structure to accommodate the fifth teacher. The architectural planning of the project has been completed and the scheme is ready to proceed to tender.
As the Deputy will be aware, because of the large volume of major building projects on hands and the limitations on resources, it is only possible to allow a certain number of projects to proceed to construction in any one financial year. Unfortunately it was not possible to include this project in the national school capital programme for 1993. However I wish to assure the Deputy that the project is being considered for inclusion among the projects to proceed to tender and construction in 1994. It is intended to announce the list of these projects in the near future. I have taken note of the requests from both sides of the House regarding a remedial reading facility in the area.
Deputy Gay Mitchell was selected by me to raise a matter on the Adjournment. However, I understand the Deputy is unavoidably absent and wishes to extend his apologies to the House, to the Minister and to the Department concerned.
The Dáil adjourned at 12.25 a.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 15 December 1993.