Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 20 Oct 1998

Vol. 495 No. 4

Adjournment Debate. - Schools Building Projects.

Mr. Farrelly

I thank the Chair for allowing me raise the issue and thank the Minister for being present to address it. The most recent report given to the vocational education committee on 12 October was that the Department is unwilling to proceed to the appointment of a design team until the schedule of accommodation is agreed at the school. The Department has submitted a schedule for 350 students which is insufficient for the numbers now attending the school. The numbers over the past five years and anticipated numbers for the coming five years are averaging about 380 students. This information was submitted to the Department some time ago but it has not been taken on board by the planning section of the Department.

One of my first tasks when I came into this House in 1981-82 involved a similar problem with the Department using numbers to delay the development of a new school which was required. This year the Department and the Minister accepted that a new school will be provided. Now there is an argument between the Department, which is talking about providing a school for 350 students, and the VEC. The VEC says that on the basis of the numbers, the extra houses which are being built and the extra students which will be around over the next five years, the number will have increased to 380.

I take exception to the Department using a delaying tactic here. I have no doubt that is what is being done because I know that the same type of tactics have been used in many other projects in which I have been involved in my constituency on the basis of the numbers game. Nothing will happen until this item is agreed. The Estimates for 1999 will be agreed and no money will be allocated for the provision of the design team so that money can be allocated from the Estimates for work.

Will the Minister tell me, the board of management and the County Meath VEC that he will immediately resolve the disagreements and the school will be provided on the basis that provision needs to be made for 380 students given the projected extra population in the locality of Oldcastle and north Meath? I do not accept that the planning section of the Department can state that it will not move until such time as there is an agreement. Ministers are there to make decisions on behalf of all the people. Here there is an organised disagreement so that progress cannot be made, in other words the design team cannot be appointed, and no money will be allocated in the Estimates for 1999 so that work can commence. I ask the Minister to get rid of this logjam and to get a decision so that work can commence.

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science (Mr. O'Dea)

I am grateful to Deputy Farrelly for giving me this opportunity to clarify the position concerning the proposed new school building at St. Oliver's, Oldcastle, County Meath.

I will give some details regarding the background to this case. In 1996 a feasibility study was carried out by consultants to determine whether the old building in the school should be refurbished and a new extension provided, or whether there was a need for a new school on a green field site.

This feasibility study was examined by the building unit in my Department and in 1997 the consultants were asked to submit an expanded comprehensive feasibility study which examined and compared the following options: refurbishment of existing buildings with a new extension provided; demolition of the existing 1950s block and the provision of new accommodation and refurbishment of existing buildings; or the provision of a new school building on a green field site.

In April of this year the expanded feasibility study was received in the Department and was examined by my Department's technical staff. The report concluded that it was not feasible to refurbish the whole school on financial grounds. The proposal for the demolition of the entire school and the building of a new school on the site of the demolished old buildings was also rejected due to the financial implications involved.

The building unit, having examined all the options put forward by the consultants and the cost implications involved, accepted the proposal to construct a new school building of 1,800 square metres and the retention and refurbishment of a portion of the existing accommodation.

The Department is convinced this option represents the best value for money while at the same time answering the educational needs of the school. A schedule of accommodation was drawn up by the Department's senior inspector to cater for 350 pupils and this schedule was presented to County Meath VEC for its approval. County Meath VEC has asked my Department to review the number of pupil places to be provided for as enrolments at the school are now close to 400. The planning section of my Department is reviewing these figures and a decision will be made shortly.

A design team for this project will be formally appointed when the planning section has made a decision on the number of students to be catered for. This appointment will be made shortly and every effort will be made to expedite the architectural planning of the project.

This project is receiving priority attention. Crucial to its progress is that the Government has almost doubled funding allocated to second level buildings versus the amount provided in the 1997 budget.