Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Nov 2002

Vol. 557 No. 4

Adjournment Debate. - Schools Building Projects.

Mr. Gilmore

This is the second occasion this year on which I have had to ask the permission of the Ceann Comhairle for time to raise the delays occurring in progressing the building project for St. Anne's national school in Shankill, County Dublin. I raised the matter previously on 14 February and it appeared in the Official Report of that date. In his reply on that occasion, the Minister for Finance told me that "the project will continue to the preparation of tender documents and the invitation of tenders as soon as possible under the expanded building programme". He went on to say that the Department was fully committed to the provision of additional accommodation for St. Anne's school.

The school is seeking two additional classrooms, a staff room, a library, a computer room, essential rewiring, fire protection works and the installation of a new boiler, as well as some outdoor works associated with car parking and a playground.

After I raised the issue on the Adjournment on 14 February, the school management met the then Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Woods, on 19 February. According to a letter which I have received from the school management, Deputy Woods told them "I look forward personally to turning the first sod by the end of the year." On 14 March, my constituency colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Hanafin, for whom I have a very high regard, personally attended the school. She brought the good news that the Minister had sanctioned the school building project. I must confess I thought she was a bit like Neville Chamberlain coming back from Munich, waving around the Minister's letter of sanction. It was a case of "sanction in our time". In any event, she was given several rounds of bualadh bos by the assembled gathering in the school hall and went on to be handsomely rewarded electorally in the subsequent general election. Unfortunately, however, the election changed the fortunes of the school because afterwards matters went distinctly cold in the building unit of the Department of Education and Science.

Mr. Deenihan

It happened all over the country.

Mr. Gilmore

The school principal thought they would be allowed to proceed to tender in August, but that did not happen. In the intervening period, the school management made a number of representations to the Department and the Minister. I raised the issue again in the House on 5 November and in his reply the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Dempsey, said: "Later this year, when a financial allocation has been made for the primary school building programme in the 2003 Estimates, I will be framing a further comprehensive programme of works that will proceed to construction, and the school concerned will be one of those considered for inclusion in that programme." That is a considerable change from where we were almost a year ago when, in reply to a parliamentary question, I was told that the building project was part of the Government's programme and that it would proceed to tender stage.

The parents and staff of the school have become so outraged at being let down by the Government on the commitments that were made prior to the election that over the past couple of weeks they have staged a number of public protests in the Shankill area. I am asking the Minister of State to respond specifically to what they are seeking, which is very simple – they want approval to proceed to the tender stage. As far back as last February, they were told that they would be enabled to proceed to tender, and were told by the previous Minister that he would be turning the sod before Christmas. They were told by the Minister of State that the building project would go ahead and, prior to the election, they were told that it had been sanctioned. I am asking the Minister to give them the go-ahead for tender and to proceed with this long overdue and necessary school building project.

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. T. O'Malley)

I am glad the Deputy has given me an opportunity of outlining to the House the current position of the Department of Education and Science regarding the proposed building project at St. Anne's national school, Shankill, County Dublin. At present, St. Anne's national school has a staffing level of a principal, 18 mainstream class teachers, two learning support teachers and two resource teachers, one of whom is shared and based at the school. The enrolment at 30 September 2002 was 504.

St. Anne's national school's present facilities consist of 16 permanent classrooms, a general purpose room and ancillary accommodation. A project to provide additional classroom and ancillary accommodation, as well as developing an area of land to provide a car park, is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning.

The Department of Education and Science has an extensive primary school building programme for 2002, which is currently under way. Details of the programme are available on the Department's website. Decisions on projects proceeding to tender and construction in 2003 will be taken in the light of the allocation for primary school buildings, taking into account the contractual commitments to be met on projects approved and the priority to be afforded to individual projects.

The Department of Education and Science intends to publish its expenditure proposals for school buildings in January and the relevant schools will be advised of the position at that stage. The Department is fully committed to the provision of improved accommodation at St. Anne's national school. I thank the Deputy again for giving me the opportunity of outlining the current position.

Mr. Gilmore

It is back on the long finger.