Vol. 576 No. 3
76 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will investigate the fact that St. Joseph's Secondary School, Fairview, Dublin 3 had to send pupils home due to major noise and disruption by the Port Tunnel boring machine on 24 and 25 November 2003; and if this disruption can be ended in regard to the pupil's education. [29578/03]
An official of my Department has been in contact the principal of St. Joseph's and the contractor responsible for the tunnel works. Both parties have assured my Department that there were numerous consultations with the school in the weeks leading up to 24 November and that every effort was made to minimise any potential disruption by concentrating work in the immediate vicinity of the school over the weekend of 22 and 23 November.
My Department has been informed that, due to low level background noise, the principal chose to excuse pupils from the last 35 minute class on Monday, 24 November, the last class on Tuesday morning and the last class on Tuesday afternoon, 25 November. Pupils were excused for three classes from a total of 18 potential classes over the two days. The Deputy should also be aware that, due to in-house exams held on Tuesday, 25 November, that half of the pupils would have been excused from class on Tuesday afternoon in any event. A routine parent's council meeting was held on Monday, 1 December. My Department has been informed that no significant concerns were expressed at that meeting in relation to the decision to excuse pupils from the classes.
