Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 11 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 5

Adjournment Debate. - Schools Building Project.

Mr. Deenihan

I welcome the opportunity to raise this matter on the Adjournment. I hope the Minister will be in a position to take some action as my request is a reasonable one.

When the current building project at Scoil Naomh Pádraig Measc, Cathair Leithin, Tralee, is complete, the school will have four classrooms, a hall, a library and a staff room. The cost of the project is in the region of £370,000, of which the Department will pay 85 per cent or £313,000 and the parents the balance of £57,000. The parents have already raised £48,000 through local fund raising initiatives.

Although the project, when completed, will result in a top quality facility, the enrolment position in the school means it will be a classroom short by next September when it will qualify for a fifth teacher and two classrooms short by the year 2000 when it will almost certainly qualify for a sixth teacher if the numbers continue to increase at the current rate.

I have statistics which support the demand for two additional classrooms for the school. The enrolment in 1997 was 129 and the 1998 enrolment will be 140 which will make the school eligible for a fifth teacher. The 1999 enrolment will be 149 and the enrolment in the year 2000 will be 167, which will make the school eligible for a sixth teacher by 2001. The school's board of management has had to restrict enrolment to brothers and sisters only this year in an effort to control the intake of pupils. Such is the popularity of the school and the demand for places that the principal receives an average of two inquiries daily from parents seeking to secure places in the school for their children.

It seems likely that a local contractor will build 40 houses within a half mile of the school; I believe the scheme is at an advanced stage of planning. This would create a further requirement for additional classroom space. The school's architect has estimated that the cost of adding an extra two classrooms at this stage, while building is in progress, would be no more than £26,000. One classroom is approximately 150 square metres and the other is approximately 170 square metres. The project could cost three or four times that amount if carried out at any other time.

If extra classrooms are not provided, the school authorities will have to resort to the rental of prefabs. The rental of a prefab costs about £400 per month, which at 50 per cent funding means the cost to the Department will be about £2,400 per year. When the school has six teachers, the cost to the Department of renting two prefabs will be £4,800 per year.

It makes a great deal of sense for the Department to allocate an extra £25,000, of which parents will pay 15 per cent or £4,000. The total cost to the Department will be £21,000. This is a successful school in a growing area. The town of Tralee is extending towards this part of Kerry and in time this will put a demand on the school which will have to be met. I hope the Minister will respond to this concern.

Mr. Martin

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity of outlining to the House the current position regarding Scoil Naomh Pádraig Measc, Cathair Leithin, Tráigh Lí, Contae Chiarraí. At present the school has a staffing level of principal plus three assistant teachers. The school had an enrolment of 130 pupils on 30 September, 1997.

A major building project at the school was included in the Department's 1995 capital building programme. The Department's planning section recommended the following accommodation brief for the project — to convert three existing classrooms to two, provide one new classroom, staff room, library/medical room and toilets. The school sought to have this brief increased to provide a total of four classrooms. Following a thorough re-examination of the case the accommodation brief was finally set at the conversion of three existing classrooms to two, the provision of two new classrooms, a general purposes room, toilets, staff room and a library/medical room. This major building project is being handled by a consultant design team appointed by the school authorities and the building works are currently under way.

Subsequent to final approval of the accommodation brief my Department's planning section wrote to the school manager advising that a comprehensive enrolment policy should be drawn up in consultation with the local schools inspector. The purpose of this policy was to ensure that the future enrolment at the school is contained at a level which can be accommodated following completion of the agreed building project. This policy was deemed necessary in view of the fact that children from Tralee were being enrolled in the school while spare accommodation already existed in the town schools.

On 6 March 1998, my Department's building unit received a facsimile message from the school principal seeking grant assistance towards the cost of a further extension comprising of two additional classrooms. This application has been referred to my Department's planning section for examination. As soon as this examination is completed my Department's planning and building unit will contact the school manager.

I will revert to the Deputy on the matter. We cannot immediately respond to a facsimile message which asks for the immediate provision of two extra classrooms. It is not the way things are done. I accept the Deputy's point about the cost implications but it is a thorny issue when there is surplus accommodation already in close proximity. There is also the issue of how to spread those resources. I will take a personal interest in the matter and see if the numbers as outlined by the Deputy warrant the additional expenditure as there are cost benefits to be considered. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter.

The Dáil adjourned at 9.15 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 12 March 1998.