Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 31 Jan 2002

Vol. 547 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Schools Building Projects.

Mr. Perry

I seek clarification from the Minister on the time scale for Carbury national school, the Mall, Sligo. The school has inadequate accommodation for six teachers and 146 pupils. Will the Minister tell us the progress on the selection of the preferred scheme option, the steps taken to locate the new school, and deal with it this evening? The Minister will indicate in his reply that the highest allocation of building funds in 2002 is €153 million, which is a high level, but, in light of that, will he ensure that the building project at Carbury school is part of this year's plan? The Minister should indicate when he will instruct that the architectural planning and the preparation of ten der documents be expedited as it is important that we have that information now.

Carbury national school was built 25 years ago with accommodation comprising four classrooms and a general purpose room. That room has been occupied by a fifth class for 16 years and this year the school had to obtain a portacabin for the sixth class and another smaller one for a resource teacher based at the school. The school has a definite need for more accommodation and the Department of Education and Science has accepted that case in principle. It takes time to arrange architectural drawings and tender documents and the €153 million allocated is a considerable sum. However, I appeal to the Minister of State, in light of that allocation and the state of the economy in general, to indicate to the management of the school as to when they can plan for this new building.

The planning process involves two schemes. Scheme one involves extending the present school building at ground floor level and constructing a second storey on top of that building, while scheme two involves the complete demolition of the present building and the construction of a completely new building. Estimates show there is little difference in the cost of these two schemes and the board has decided that scheme two is the preferred choice, as it avoids the restrictions which come with extending an existing building. The new building can be sited so as to maximise the play area for pupils rather than having a restricted site. I ask the Minister of State to ensure that the second scheme is the one the Department proceeds with.

This is a very important issue. There has been unprecedented prosperity on the island and primary school facilities have developed over the years. However, this issue has been raised since I became a Member and the school's board of management has been more than patient. It has done everything asked of it by the Department. It is waiting for a clear indication and I hope the Minister of State will indicate that he will allow this project to proceed to the stage of architectural planning and the preparation of tender documents. I hope the Minister of State announces this in terms of future enrolment. The indications are that numbers will certainly increase, despite some classes being in portakabins and the resource teacher's inadequate facilities. This school serves a huge area of north Sligo, Sligo town and beyond. The dedicated teaching staff and management have over the years endured inadequate facilities but in 2002, when the Minister has announced unprecedented funding, we in Sligo want some of the €153 million that the Minister has indicated as being available. I hope the Minister of State indicates tonight that the school will get the go-ahead.

Mr. Treacy

Arís, I am glad to outline the Department's current position regarding the building project for Carbury national school, the Mall, Sligo. The school has a staffing complement of principal, five mainstream class teachers, a shared remedial teacher and a shared resource teacher. The enrolment of 30 September 2001 was 148 pupils. The school's facilities consist of four classrooms, a general purposes room and a related portakabin classroom, which the Deputy mentioned.

The allocation for primary buildings in 2002 is, as the Deputy said, €153.6 million, a record level of funding which demonstrates the Government's commitment to improving the accommodation in primary schools such as the Carbury school under our expanded schools building programme.

Because of the greatly increased level of activity in the primary schools building area since the Government took office, there has been a substantial increase in the number of major and minor building projects in construction. This has given rise to a record level of building and refurbishment activity. A building project for Carbury school is in the early stages of architectural planning. This process will continue to the preparation of tender documents and the invitation of tenders as soon as it is possible to do so under the expanded building programme. The Department is fully committed to the provision of improved accommodation at Carbury national school and I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline the current position. As the architectural planning proceeds, as soon as conclusions are arrived at we will be delighted to make the relevant decision.

Mr. S. Ryan

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the chance to raise the need for a new purpose-built school for Malahide community school. It is one of the largest post-primary schools in the country. It was built 25 years ago to accommodate 750 students but today the enrolment has reached almost 1,120 with a projected enrolment of 1,200 students in the near future. This has been achieved by adding extra prefabricated accommodation on a piecemeal basis over the years to the detriment of the campus. As a former member of the board of management I assure the House from experience that the provision of further extensions to the school in such a manner would be time-consuming, inefficient, more expensive and detrimental to the education of the students.

The choice of subjects on offer to the students over the years has been limited as the school has been unable to provide specialist subjects due to overcrowding and a shortage of accommodation. Parents, students and teachers have stated clearly that enough is enough. Denis Crowley of J S Atkins, Architects, has carried out an assessment of the potential of the whole campus. His pro posed two options are the refurbishment-extension of the existing development or an entirely new two storey building. The refurbishment-extension option would involve the decanting of students over prolonged periods and as the site is relatively small, it would limit the circulation area and playing areas of 1,200 students. It would also reduce the capacity for monitoring and supervision of students in the campus area. The decanting of students to alternative accommodation could mean significant costs as well as other implications for examination students.

Over the years the school has maintained an enrolment policy to accommodate students from its traditional catchment areas, including many students from Donabate and Portrane, where there are no second level education facilities. This policy has satisfied the Department's requirements and the school has put up with much hardship and disruption over the years. On behalf of the current students, parents, the wider community of Malahide and representatives of the five local national schools, I demand that a new purpose-built school be sanctioned and that this decision be made immediately. An early and favourable decision is vital as parents of incoming children for the 2002-03 year have relayed their concerns about the inadequate provision of classrooms, specialist rooms, amenities, canteen facilities, toilets and social areas because of lack of space.

The board of management has refused 28 applications for the first year intake for the 2002-03 school year. Parents urgently need to know the outcome of the Department's decision so they can plan ahead for where their children go to school. No commitments on the basis of "We're in support of the objective of meeting the requirement" is satisfactory. Specific commitments are needed. At a time of unprecedented growth in our economy, when ours is one of the richest countries in the world, it is not too much to expect that students of Malahide community school will be provided with a modern, top quality school structure with the necessary infrastructure to enable teachers to play their role in enabling their students fulfil their potential.

I compliment the dedicated teachers of this school over the years for ensuring, notwithstanding the shortcomings in the infrastructure, a high standard of education in this school, Pobalscoil Íosa. A new school is required and nothing less is acceptable to the people of Malahide and its catchment area.

Mr. Treacy

I am glad the Deputy has given me the opportunity of outlining to the House the Department's current position on this matter. In June 1998 the school authority made an application to the Department for an extension of school accommodation. The Department requested the school authority to provide infor mation on the internal arrangements which it would propose for a long-term projected enrolment of 1,050 pupils. On receipt of this information a schedule of overall accommodation was prepared by the Department for agreement by the school authority. Subsequently the school authority indicated that it considered a long-term projected enrolment of 1,200 pupils more realistic and appealed to the Department to revise the figure of 1,050. This was done and a revised schedule of overall accommodation was prepared based on the higher figure. The school authority accepted this schedule.

The Department commissioned a feasibility study on the school in April 2000. The study is based on the original long-term projected enrolment of 1,050 pupils and consequent schedule of overall accommodation. It put forward three options for the provision of additional accommodation at Malahide community school. Option 1 proposed the renovation and extension of existing accommodation at an estimated cost of €4.9 million, inclusive of VAT. Option 2 proposed demolishing the existing building and building a new two storey school on existing school lands at an estimated cost of €7.2 million, inclusive of VAT. Option 3 was a variation of option 2 and also proposed demolishing the existing building and rebuilding on unused school lands at an estimated cost of €7.4 million, inclusive of VAT.

Upon examination of the feasibility study option 1 appeared to be the most cost effective, particularly taking into account the recently completed re-roofing and drainage projects at the school. The re-roofing project was carried out at a cost of €365,521.47. The drainage works were carried out at a cost of €292,016.27. However, I am aware that the preferred option of the community school has always been a complete new building.

Officials from the Department met representatives from the school authority to discuss the project and agree to an approach to the project that will lead to the delivery of additional permanent accommodation at the earliest possible date in view of accommodation pressures at the school. A full design team, an architect, quantity surveyor, structural engineer, and a mechanical and electrical engineer, was appointed through the Official Journal of the European Communities in August 2001. A meeting was convened in September 2001 at the Tullamore office of the Department at which officials from the Department, the school authority and the design team met to discuss the brief for the project.

It was explained at this meeting that the design team had been appointed to redevelop the school. This meant that the decision as to whether additional accommodation would be provided by means of refurbishment and extension of the existing premises or whether there would be a completely new building would have to be explored in full by it. It was informed that the Department is the client for the project, but that it must liaise with the school to achieve the appropriate design solution. The school, as end user, has an important input. The design team was requested to consider issues such as value for money, the projected life span of a refurbished portion of the building and the possibility of a phased delivery of the project.

The design team was also informed at the meeting of the proposed programme for the project. It was anticipated that stages 1 and 2 of architectural planning would be complete by December 2001. The aim then is to have stages 3 and 4 complete by April 2002. Assuming there are no complications in obtaining planning permission, it is anticipated that stage 5 will be completed by 31 September 2002 and the project could then go to tender.

Officials from the Department recently visited Malahide community school to discuss interim solutions to the difficulties regarding the shortage of accommodation in the short term. Plans have been put in place to arrange temporary accommodation during the construction of the new permanent accommodation. It is anticipated that this accommodation will be in place for September 2002.

A pre-stage 1 and 2 meeting was convened in the Tullamore office in November 2001 which the school authority and design team and officials from the Department attended. The objective of the meeting was to discuss progress of the stage 1 and 2 report and resolve any issues that the school authority or the design team wished to raise.

The stage 1 and 2 report was submitted to the Department, as agreed previously in September, on 21 December 2001. It outlined eight possible options for the redevelopment of Malahide community school. The design team presented several options, recommending a new building option with the demolition of the existing junior and senior blocks as being the optimum architectural solution to the redevelopment. The recommended option is, however, the most expensive at €11.5 million. As the Department is charged with the responsibility of ensuring the best value for money is obtained from any investment in a school, it could not justify committing itself to this option without exploring further some of the refurbishment and extension options, which range in price from €9.6 million to €11.02 million, as outlined in the design team's report.

Mr. S. Ryan

That is a delaying tactic.

Mr. Treacy

No, we do not operate like Fabius Cunctator. As may be gathered from the price range, all the options under consideration will result in considerable upgrading and extension of the school. The design team has been asked to explore some of the refurbishment options further. This information, once submitted, will enable the Department to make a clear judgment on which is the best option in ensuring the needs of the school are met, while ensuring the best possible value for money is obtained. The Department must be convinced that the design solution will provide a building, which is viable from an educational, architectural and economic point of view.

The Department is undertaking to make every effort to complete the architectural design process, up to and including the obtaining of planning permission to be in a position to invite tenders for a construction contract as quickly as possible. This will involve all the parties engaged in it – the school, the Department and the design team – working in close liaison throughout the life of the project.

I again thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity of outlining the current and future position to the House. We have given a clear indication pertaining to our commitment, dates of schedule and conclusion. We are confident that working together with a coherent, cohesive and positive attitude there will be a positive conclusion for all parties very soon.