I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this very important matter. Despite raising it in the Dáil on a number of occasions, the teachers, parents and pupils of Knockanean national school are still awaiting a positive response from the Minister. The conditions at the school are appalling and need immediate attention. Three new classrooms are needed immediately to replace existing prefabs. The school, which has 140 pupils, is currently a five teacher school, with three solid classrooms and two prefabs.
Knockanean national school has been in constant contact with the Department since 1993 seeking the replacement of buildings. It arranged for plans to be drawn up and employed a quantity surveyor to estimate the total cost. The local community has continually supported the school and local funding was provided for the development of a playing pitch and basketball court. Much has been done at local level, yet those efforts have not been matched by the Minister's commitment. The local community has already saved the Government a considerable amount of money in raising funds in 1987 and 1991 to help towards building solid rooms to replace the prefabs. Such an initiative should be recognised and rewarded by the Minister.
Department inspectors visited the school in February and June 1996 and concluded that both prefabs need to be replaced with solid rooms. The school does not have a general purposes room and a proposal by the school in this regard should be taken on board by the Department.
An INTO survey in County Clare points out that Kilmurray national school and Iniscealtra national school in Mountshannon need immediate funding to upgrade existing buildings, yet no positive action has been taken on these schools. The parents and teachers have become frustrated by the lack of response from the Minister to Knockanean school and they propose to hold a public meeting in Clare tomorrow night, 18 April, to decide the action to be taken. I ask the Minister to provide proper facilities at Knockanean school, a request I have made at every opportunity in the Dáil. The Minister visited Clare recently and I hope she will have positive news for Knockanean national school.