(Wexford): I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise the problem at St. Aidan's primary school in Enniscorthy. With due respect to the Minister of State, Deputy Currie, I am disappointed that the Minister for Education has again refused to come to the House to reply to a matter on the Adjournment. However, that is not unknown for the Minister because I have raised numerous education matters on the Adjournment but she has not had the courtesy to reply to any of them.
Enniscorthy CBS and Presentation Convent schools amalgamated in 1994 to form St. Aidan's national school. There is usually uproar in towns where amalgamations take place but with the cooperation of the parents, teachers and the local representatives the amalgamation in Enniscorthy went smoothly. However, it was based on certain commitments from the Minister for Education that the upgrading of toilets and the heating system, the insulation of the building, the implementation of the fire officer's report and the modernisation of some parts of the school would take place. In 1994 in the early days of the school, the management received a letter from the Minister's office stating that all the work should be carried out without undue delay. However, three years later nothing has happened. The parents, teachers and pupils feel betrayed by the Minister and the Department of Education because they have continuously refused to honour the commitments given at that time.
Hygiene at the school is inadequate due to an old toilet system which needs to be upgraded. The heating system is inadequate to heat the school and most of the heat produced is lost. During last week's cold spell, the temperature in the school was nine degrees Celsius. The acceptable minimum level of heating in classrooms, as agreed by the Department of Education and teachers, is 16 degrees Celsius. The students were forced to wear their coats in the classrooms and that is totally unacceptable.
The parents and teachers are angry. A public meeting in the school on Monday night was attended by almost 300 parents and they outlined to the Department of Education and politicians that they are not prepared to tolerate this situation any longer. There will soon be a strike by the teachers and the children will be withdrawn from the school by their parents because of the lack of understanding by the Department of Education. Idle promises are no use to the teachers and parents of St. Aidan's national school, Enniscorthy. They want action by the Department.
The Government is giving out millions of pounds daily to different parts of the country but St. Aidan's national school requires only £400,000 to upgrade it to modern standards. We are not asking for something out of reach; £400,000 is a small amount of money. More importantly, the Minister gave a commitment in 1994 that if the CBS and the Presentation Convents schools amalgamated, she would ensure without delay the modernisation of the school. However, nothing has happened and the Minister stands indicted on this matter.
The parents and teachers have a plan of action for the coming weeks, including a protest outside the school. They have also been asked to write to all the Deputies in the county and to visit their clinics. A public meeting will be held on 18 February in Enniscorthy and if the Minister has not given a commitment by then regarding the work at the school, serious action will be taken by the parents and teachers. This will include the withdrawal of the children from the school or one day strikes by the teachers. I ask the Minister of State to bring to the attention of the Minister for Education the serious concerns of the parents and teachers of St. Aidan's national school, Enniscorthy, to ask her to deal with the matter promptly and to honour the commitments she gave in early 1994 when the amalgamation took place.
