Jim Higgins
Question:7 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will approve a new primary school for Aghamore, County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26573/01]
Other Questions. - Schools Building Projects.
My Department has received an application for grant aid towards the cost of a building project at Aghamore national school, County Mayo. Decisions relating to the rate of progress to construction of individual projects, including the proposed project at the school referred to by the Deputy, will be taken as in previous years in the light of the allocations to be made for school building purposes at the conclusion of the forthcoming budgetary process.
This is the same old record.
There has been a massive and unprecedented increase in the funds allocated by this Government to the building programme at all levels.
The Minister should get serious.
The allocation in the current year is £370.5 million (470.4 million), which is almost four times the allocation made by the previous Government in 1997.
We have heard this before.
This level of funding has enabled my Department to undertake a record number of building projects and it is my intention to continue this rate of progress in overcoming the deficit arising from past years and in meeting the needs of the present day.
(Mayo): I have spoken briefly to the Minister about this case. I know he has many special cases, but he should accept that this is genuinely a special case as Aghamore national school is 100 years old; it celebrated its centenary last August. Three teachers work in three rooms as there is no general purpose room. There are no recreational facilities other than a very small yard. Is the Minister aware that pupil numbers at the school are expanding, which is almost unique for a rural school, and that this is leading to overcrowding? A fourth teacher will probably be employed at the school. In the light of these facts, will the Minister examine the files to enable him to make a root and branch assessment of the merits of the project? The special circumstances I have outlined mean that the project should be sanctioned as soon as possible.
I appreciate the Deputy's points and I am aware that there has been a history of difficulty with this school. The board advised the Department in January that a suitable site was available across the road from the existing school. The acquisition of the site will be considered in the context of the Estimates and the budget.
(Mayo): In the context of the special difficulties, is the Minister aware that radon levels in the school are considerably above the minimum safety levels for schools? Does he accept that it would be a waste to install radon mitigation measures? I call on the Minister, finally, to view the school as a special case. I have a special affinity with it; my mother, who is 93, attended the school around 1914. I ask the Minister to take all factors into consideration and to be as sympathetic as possible to the project.
The Deputy knows I have a great respect for older people, so I will keep his arguments in mind.
Mildred Fox
Question:8 Ms Fox asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will provide funding for the approved site for Wicklow Gaelscoil; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this matter has been ongoing for more than two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24852/01]
My Department is currently acquiring a site for Gaelscoil Cill Mhantáin. The Deputy will appreciate that the process of acquiring a site is complex and involves a detailed assessment of suitability, valuation and legal formalities. The school authorities will be contacted when my Department has finalised the necessary legal and other formalities. The ten classroom school is at the early stages of architectural planning.
Is the school referred to in the question one of the projects that formed part of the negotiations for voting support between the Government and Deputy Fox? Will funds be made available from next year's capital allocation to allow the project to proceed to construction?
The project is at the early stages of architectural planning. I hope Gaelscoil Cill Mhantáin will proceed with funds to be allocated during the coming year.
Was it one of the matters that arose during the Government's negotiation with Deputy Fox?
I do not know, honestly.
Will there be a special allocation for gaelscoileanna in the Estimates for the coming year? Will they be given priority when the Minister compiles his priority list of projects to be advanced?
The Government is supporting quite a number of gaelscoileanna that are developing throughout the country, first by providing temporary facilities and then by finding suitable sites for longer term developments. Each gaelscoil is dealt with on its merits.
Is the Minister saying that there is no special allocation?
No, there is only one allocation. As Deputy Jim Higgins mentioned, there is a special allocation for schools with high radon levels. A similar provision is made for schools with asbestos, but the rest of the schools fund is for all primary or secondary schools.
Proinsias De Rossa
Question:9 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will provide a progress report on the proposed amalgamation of the three comprehensive schools in Ballymun, Dublin 9; the timescale proposed for the necessary refurbishment works; the cost involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28247/01]
In 1999, a decision was taken to amalgamate the senior and two junior comprehensive schools in Ballymun as the three existing schools, which were designed to accommodate in excess of 2,000 students, had a combined enrolment of fewer than 800. This development necessitated that serious consideration be given to rationalisation and the more efficient use of all the accommodation for educational purposes.
It is proposed that the schools will amalgamate into the junior schools complex, which can accommodate approximately 1,500 students. To enable the amalgamation to take place, the junior school building must be refurbished. In that regard, a schedule of accommodation based on a long-term projected enrolment of 1,000 students has been prepared and accepted by the joint board of management of the three schools. A full design team has been appointed and is engaged in the architectural planning process.
Officials of the building unit of my Department recently wrote to the schools' management authorities inviting them to a meeting to review progress on the project. I understand a meeting has been arranged for early next week at which all matters concerning this important project will be discussed.
Can the Minister be more specific on the proposed timescale because the amalgamation was announced over two years ago? Has he satisfied himself that accommodation for 1,000 pupils will be adequate to meet the needs of a regenerated Ballymun area and the target increase in participation rates? The completion rate to leaving certificate in the area stands at just over 30%. In the context of targeting increased participation and retention rates, the figure of 1,000 seems inadequate.
They are the prepared estimates and considered adequate. They take into consideration the views of the local authority and building in the area. Time has been taken to work out what is expected. One issue having an effect is that the number of children per household is much smaller now and areas which formerly would have created a large demand for a school now only create one third of that demand.
Retention is also a huge problem.
That problem is getting increased attention. There are now funds available to do more work in that area.
What about the timescale?
The timescale will depend on when they finally agree the outlines. There is an outline sketch scheme. A planning and briefing meeting was held in October 2000 at which a design team was asked to prepare a stage 2 outline sketch scheme. It was envisaged that the project might be ready by October 2001, but the team has run into difficulties in the preparation. It is those internal difficulties it wants to discuss next week.