The attendance of the Minister for Education here this evening, which I appreciate, is an indication of her concern about this issue. I have always found the Minister most helpful any time I had to seek her assistance. The Minister is aware of the lack of response and assistance from the Department of Education for the multi-denominational school in Crumlin. There are 33 pupils in the school at Islandbridge and they have to vacate the premises. I wish to share my time with Deputy Eric Byrne.
Adjournment Matters. - Crumlin (Dublin) Multi-denominational School.
That is in order.
Some parents did not send their children back to that school last September because of the uncertainty involved. Accommodation is required which would be suitable for between 40 and 60 pupils and the school would accept premises in Crumlin. An offer was made of a school in Nutgrove in Rathfarnham, but as one parent who sent her child there said, the transport for one year costs £448. Other parents believe that to transport their children in a minibus would be unacceptable because some of them live in the Drimnagh-Crumlin area.
Schools were offered in Ranelagh and Glasnevin but they are already full and have huge waiting lists. The committee of the Crumlin multi-denominational school emphasises that the parents are not malcontents or difficult people, and since I have met them on a number of occasions I assure the Minister that is so. There is a great demand in Dublin for multi-denominational schools and the parents involved believe that progress is held up by senior officials in the Department of Education. The board of management, Deputies Eric Byrne and Upton, the Minister, Deputy Gay Mitchell and I met Department officials in July this year and they gave the impression that they would respond reasonably quickly, if I recall correctly within ten days to two weeks. That was 14 weeks ago and we are still awaiting a response.
I thank Deputy Briscoe for sharing his time with me. This week we debated the Employment Equality Bill during which time I expressed considerable concern at the exceptions granted to institutions under religious control. It is clear that our laws and practices have not kept pace with society, which is becoming increasingly secular and pluralist. Crumlin multi-denominational school has been treated like rolling stock in a shunting yard and is once again under threat of eviction from its premises in Kilmainham, a threat which no doubt will be carried out. That site has been proposed for redevelopment as an apartment block. Parents want their children educated in accordance with a specific religious, pluralist ethos and the Government should respect and facilitate that wish.
The Department of Education grants large sums of money to churches to build schools and by the same token the board of management of Crumlin multi-denominational school should be facilitated in acquiring or building permanent premises. The White Paper on Education states that recognition of full entitlement to capital grants will be given to all schools including all-Irish and multi-denominational schools from the date of their establishment as soon as the Minister is satisfied in each case that there will be a continuing need for the school. The parents of children attending Crumlin multi-denominational school are determined to deliver a multi-denominational education for their children. It is clear that there is a demand in the area for a multi-denominational school since there are 33 children registered and two teachers in the school at present. I urge the Minister to ensure the school finds permanent premises so that it can continue its very valuable work of providing a pluralist education without the threat of eviction.
The parents' group involved believes that their back is to the wall and has instituted legal proceedings in the High Court to seek to vindicate their constitutional rights. It is a very sad day that because of the threat of eviction, a minority group has to take the State to the High Court to seek to vindicate its constitutional right to a multi-denominational education.
I thank the Deputies for using this forum to put their case for recognition of the school. It gives me an opportunity to clarify the position. The Crumlin multi-denominational school was given provisional recognition by the Department with effect from September 1994. It is now in its third year of operation and the enrolment at September last was 30 pupils. The school has been requested by the landlords to vacate its current temporary accommodation in Goldenbridge House, Inchicore. As with all new multi-denominational or all-Irish schools, initial recognition was granted to the Crumlin school on a provisional basis. When such schools have been in operation for a number of years and can satisfy the Department with regard to their conduct and future viability, permanent recognition may be granted.
During the period of temporary recognition it is the responsibility of school management to provide temporary premises to house the school. It is only when permanent recognition has been granted that such schools can claim capital grant aid from my Department. Crumlin multi-denominational school has temporary recognition and, accordingly, does not qualify for capital grant aid at present.
The school has applied for permanent recognition and the application is being processed as a matter of urgency. I wish to put on record my recognition of the work put into this matter by the officials of my Department. They met a deputation from the school and Educate Together on Wednesday, 16 October 1996 to discuss the issues. The views put forward by the deputation will be taken into account in examination of the application for permanent recognition. I assure the Deputy that there will be no undue delay in processing the application and that the accommodation problem will be reviewed immediately in light of that decision.