I apologise for being late and appreciate that the Minister of State is taking this matter. It relates to one of the more dilapidated schools in my constituency, St. Peter's national school in Phibsboro, which was founded almost 200 years ago in 1812. One can imagine a school founded that long ago is quite Dickensian in its structure with long breezy corridors, rotting windows, steep stone stairs and poor lighting. It would be well placed in a Dickens novel. The boys and girls attending the school share the same toilets. Therefore, the times they can be used have to be carefully scheduled and it is difficult to maintain sanitation and so on.
The boys' and the girls' schools were amalgamated in 1999, the incentive being that a new purpose-built school would be provided. That was the carrot extended to all and sundry to come together to amalgamate. The design was put together that year but, unfortunately, we are still awaiting the commencement of the construction nearly four years later. The promise of a new building is very much awaited by everybody concerned.
I got a letter from an eight year old pupil last week which did not give too many details but outlined how difficult it is to manage in the circumstances. The staff, parents and pupils have been extraordinarily patient on this issue, considering they had great expectations that by now they would have a brand new school.
I want to highlight the inadequacy of conditions in the school. There is no hot running water, every time any safety regulations have been examined they have failed, there are draughty windows, high ceilings, the school is expensive to heat, radiators are leaking, the lighting is poor, there are no sinks in the classrooms for art and the toilets are shared by boys and girls. The conditions are Dickensian. It is high time those concerned got a new building. I hope the Minister of State will have good news for them.