Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 28 Mar 2002

Vol. 551 No. 4

Adjournment Debate. - Schools Building Projects.

Mr. Healy

Inevitably, another Deputy has to raise again the issue of schools building projects and I raise the case of Mount Bruis, County Tipperary. It has 58 pupils, three full-time teachers, a shared remedial teacher and a part-time resource teacher. It is a 40 year old cold, damp building, which is unsuitable for modern teaching. The classrooms are inadequate and only half the size needed by today's standards. The five foot by five foot cloakrooms double as classrooms for the remedial and resource teachers. The toilet, which is shared by male and female staff, doubles as an office and a person can hardly get into it because of the presence of a photocopier. Rooms reek of dampness.

The school awaits approval to move to the design team phase, but the committee to nominate one has not been allowed to meet by the Minister since April 2001. I ask that a team be appointed immediately. I do not want to know how much the Minister spent in the last 12 months or any other month, but to know when he will grant approval to the building project for this small, rural school. I also do not want to hear that it will start as soon as possible. The parents, pupils, clergy and people of west Tipperary want a date on which the design team will be appointed and I hope that the Minister will tell me.

Mr. Treacy

I am glad the Deputy has given me the opportunity to outline to the House the Department's current position regarding the provision of improved accommodation at Mount Bruis national school, County Tipperary. At present, the school has a staffing level of a principal, two mainstream classroom teachers, a shared remedial teacher and a shared resource teacher, which is two extra appointments. The enrolment at 30 September 2001 was 56 pupils. The school's current facilities consist of two permanent classrooms, a prefab and limited ancillary accommodation. The Department has received an application from the management authorities of the school for grant assistance towards the provision of additional accommodation.

The allocation for primary buildings in 2002 is €153.6 million, which is a record level of funding and demonstrates the Government's commitment to improving the accommodation situation in primary schools, such as Mount Bruis national school, Tipperary, under its expanded school building programme. Due to the greatly increased level of activity in the primary buildings area since the Government came into office, there has been a substantial increase in the number of major and minor building projects in construction and this has given rise to a record level of building and refurbishment activity.

A proposed major building project for Mount Bruis national school will proceed to architectural planning as soon as possible under the expanded building programme.

Mr. Healy

Please, Minister, not that.

Mr. Treacy

The Deputy will understand, however, that it is not possible to wipe out in the lifetime of one Government the cumulative deficit of generations and to deal with emerging needs at the same time. As an interim measure, the Department has approved the provision of temporary accommodation to alleviate overcrowding problems at the school, with which I hope the Deputy and people are pleased. The matter will be kept under review, having regard to existing commitments and priorities in the primary building area. The Department is fully committed to the provision of improved accommodation at Mount Bruis national school and I again thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline the current position to the House.

Mr. Browne

(Carlow-Kilkenny): Tá mé buíoch go bhfuil deis agam labhairt faoin ábhar atá ag cur isteach ar fhobairt Scoil Eoghan Uí Thuairisc i gCeatharlach.

I am aware that 850 schools are held up, although I have some letters assuring me that there is no postponement. I raised on the Adjournment that I was misled by the answers I got because I was in direct contact with schools.

This school in Carlow, Scoil Eoghain Uí Thuairisc, was founded 20 years ago. It started off with temporary, prefabricated classrooms and, 20 years later, that is still the position. The school now has 18 teachers and 440 pupils who do not have permanent accommodation. Fiche bliain ag fás, agus ag fás go tapaidh.

Two years ago, three prefabricated classrooms were added on to the school. They did not bother putting in toilets because they presumed the new building project would commence on the site which they had purchased for €500,000. The school pays rent of €2,000 per year for the current site and €2,000 for the rental of the three prefabs which they decided not to buy because it was a temporary measure. I tabled a question to the Minister and the reply was that the work would go ahead as soon as possible, which means nothing.

I ask the Minister of State to skip most of his reply, which I presume outlines all the money the Government has spent in this area, and say what he intends to do for these 440 children who are accommodated in prefabricated, temporary classrooms, three of which have no toilets. Getting in and out of these classrooms can also be a problem on rainy days. That is an impossible position for such a large school and I hope the Minister will outline some progress on this issue.

Mr. Treacy

Is cúis áthais dom i gcónaí freagra cruinn beacht a chur faoi bhráid na Dála, go háirithe don Teachta Seán de Brúin. Is iar-oide scoile é agus rinne sé an-jab ar feadh na blianta fána bhfuil muid an-bhuíoch. Dá bhrí sin, tá mé lán sásta freagra pearsanta a thabhairt dó.

I am glad the Deputy has given me the opportunity of outlining to the House my Department's current position regarding the provision of permanent accommodation for Gaelscoil Eoghan Uí Thuairisc, in Carlow. Currently the school has a staffing level of a principal, 15 mainstream class teachers and a learning support teacher. The enrolment at 30 September 2001 was 440 pupils.

The school is currently accommodated in prefabricated accommodation on a site rented from Carlow County Council. My Department has recently purchased a site for the gaelscoil, which is a clear indication of a major commitment to proceed with a permanent building.

The allocation for primary buildings in 2002 is a record €153.6 million of funding and demonstrates the Government's commitment to improving accommodation in primary schools. That is almost four times the previous Government's investment in 1997.

Because of the greatly increased level of activity in the primary buildings area since this Government came into office, there has been a substantial increase in the number of major and minor building projects in construction and this has given rise to a record level of building and refurbishment activity.

Currently there are in the region of 450 major primary school building projects in architectural planning. The proposed building project for Gaelscoil Eoghan Uí Thuairisc, agus ba as mo dháilcheantar an fear uasal sin – scríbhneoir den chéad scoth a bhí ann—

Mr. Browne

(Carlow-Kilkenny): No school.

Mr. Treacy

—will also proceed to architectural planning as soon as it is possible under the Government's expanded building programme. The Deputy will understand, however, that it is not possible to wipe out, in the lifetime of one Government, the cumulative deficit of generations and to deal with emerging needs at the same time.

Commensurate with that, we have put huge resources into the provision of remedial and resource teachers, special learning needs assistants, etc. That human resources expansion has created congestion in the building programme giving rise to a greater demand for school expansions.

Mr. Browne

(Carlow-Kilkenny): No permanent building, only prefabs.

Mr. Treacy

That is the reason for the many applications from across the country. We will do our utmost to deal with each school on an individual, prioritised basis as quickly as possible.

I assure the Deputy and the House that the Department is fully committed to the provision of a new school for Gaelscoil Eoghan Uí Thuairisc in Carlow and I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity of outlining the current position to the House. I wish him and all of our colleagues a very happy Easter.