Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 30 Jun 2004

Vol. 588 No. 3

Adjournment Debate.

Schools Building Projects.

Dr. Cowley

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this important matter on the Adjournment. The school to which I refer was built in 1918 and since then nothing has been done with it. It is located in the outskirts of Ballina in a growing area.

The proposed extension is costed at €100,000 but will fail to address the pressing needs of the school, even though sanction had been given for satisfactory development of the school in August 2001 — before the general election. Sanction for that extension would have cost in excess of €300,000 but was withdrawn after the general election even though planning had proceeded to stage 3. This plan was replaced by the scaled-down development with instructions that the costs were not to exceed €100,000, which is a case of penny wise and euro foolish.

The location of the post-election cut-back extension is governed by and based on a decrepit and rat-infested terrapin which will have to be torn down in any case and which will interfere with the existing permanent classrooms, requiring further futile expenditure while pupils and teachers continue to lack proper and adequate accommodation and are confined to draughty and unhealthy conditions. There is a great need for temporary accommodation in the meantime. The original plan was the best one and, in the interests of sanity and common sense, it should be reverted to. What is now proposed is idiotic, futile and a recipe for disaster.

In May 2000 an application was submitted. In October 2001, the Department agreed to planning for improved accommodation including a general purpose classroom, three store rooms and two rooms of 20 sq. metres. On 29 October, after the general election, the Department announced it was not in a position to grant-aid the project. That is the sorry saga of this school project. What was proposed would have been adequate for the area and would have included a PE classroom, a general purpose classroom to replace the existing prefab, a multi-purpose room to include a teaching staff room, a library resource room and so on. It is unfortunate that the cut–rate plan was introduced, which is totally unacceptable.

The school was built in 1918 and is like any old country school when it all began, with one single classroom. This is now a growing area in the suburbs of Ballina. Housing estates have been mooted opposite the school. There is no proper space and pupils and teachers are very discommoded. The board of management and parents are very concerned about the lack of proper accommodation for the recently appointed learning support teacher, who currently tries to create a suitable learning environment in the entrance lobby of a prefab. This is totally unsatisfactory for teacher and pupil. Furthermore, the teacher has no storage space for the necessary materials or to keep pupil profiles.

The requirements are a room for the learning support teacher, a room for the resource teacher and a general purpose area. If, for instance, health screening or immunisation programmes are required for the children, as they are from time to time, it requires the complete evacuation of a classroom. This is very disruptive. Physical education is part of the revised curriculum and is extremely important but it cannot take place in the school because of the lack of facilities. Similarly, library storage space, the new reading initiative, the introduction of science and increased awareness of the need for materials in the classroom lead to a need for extra storage space which is not available. The increased amount of paperwork, together with the increased number of meetings of educational psychologists, resource teachers, learning support teachers, parents and so on, demands extra office space.

The Department's proposals in regard to the school are idiotic. The plan is ridiculous because it renders useless the existing building which will require major expensive alterations and the retention of the terrapin. If the terrapin rots, how will the school be extended? The entire situation is nonsensical and the planning is based on a prefab which is past its best before date and is falling down. It is an irrational basis for any type of development. No business or house would be developed along these lines. The situation is unacceptable and in the meantime there is a great need for temporary accommodation. Will the Minister of State outline what is happening in regard to the school?

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science (Miss de Valera)

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, to outline to the House the position regarding the proposed building project at Knockanillo national school, Ballina, County Mayo.

The board of management of Knockanillo national school applied to the school building section of my Department in April 2000 for the provision of additional ancillary accommodation at the school. A design team was appointed in October 2001 and architectural design began. The project progressed, as the Deputy stated, to stage 3 of the Department's procedures. Following an examination of this submission the school authorities were informed that an extension-cum-refurbishment project could proceed at the school, provided that it could be delivered within an upper cost limit of €100,000.

In May of this year the school authorities of Knockanillo national school were offered a devolved grant to alleviate their accommodation needs. This initiative operates on a devolved basis and allows boards of management to address their accommodation and building priorities with a guaranteed amount of funding. There is minimal interaction with my Department and schools are fully empowered to drive the design and construction process.

Under the scheme, 70% of the funds must be drawn down before the end of November this year. Provision for the remaining 30% will have to be included as a commitment in the 2005 budgetary allocation which will be in the context of the multi-annual approach which my Department is adopting, further details of which will be available later this year. In the event that temporary accommodation is required in the short term, pending the provision of the proposed extension, the school should contact my Department in the matter.

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline the position regarding Knockanillo national school.

Schools Refurbishment.

Mr. Finneran

I ask the Minister for Education and Science to address the proposed refurbishment and extension at Scoil Mhuire Convent of Mercy, Strokestown, County Roscommon. I have tabled this motion for the Minister's attention because of representations, which have been made to me by the principal, staff, parents and the community generally in Strokestown and its catchment area.

I acknowledge the contribution which has been made by the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Noel Dempsey, to the education system in County Roscommon to date. In particular, I compliment him on his enormous contribution to the primary sector. He has provided new or refurbished schools in three areas within the catchment of this post-primary school. He has been a great friend to County Roscommon regarding the provision of new schools and the extension and refurbishment of schools.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, to respond to the debate. I raise this matter because of representations I have received from the principal on behalf of the teachers, parents, pupils and the community. They have been in contact with the Department since 1999 regarding refurbishment, extension and provision of PE facilities at Scoil Mhuire Convent of Mercy, Strokestown. They are disappointed they are still at stage one, band 2, and are seeking that progress be made on their application.

I fully endorse the sentiments of the principal on behalf of all involved, on the basis that Strokestown is a vibrant town that has found a new lease of life in recent years, given that a large number of new houses have been built there. It has an active development association and much development work is taking place in the catchment area.

It has been clearly stated by the principal that there is insufficient space. They work under poor conditions and must use a community hall for their PE activity. Unfortunately, the community hall did not get finance under the sports capital programme to carry out the necessary works to enable the PE activity to continue. There is a need to expedite the refurbishment and extension and the provision of PE facilities at Scoil Mhuire Convent of Mercy, Strokestown.

I appreciate there are many demands on the Minister and that he has made an enormous contribution to the education system and the provision of education facilities in County Roscommon. I ask the Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, to convey to the Minister the urgent need to progress this project. A genuine case has been put forward by the principal and all involved. I wish to align myself with their request and ask that it be progressed at a faster pace than in the past four or five years. It is imperative that this case be moved forward and that the principal, staff, pupils and others should be made aware of the timescale involved.

Miss de Valera

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the position of my Department regarding proposals to provide funding for an extension at Scoil Mhuire Convent of Mercy, Strokestown, County Roscommon.

A full design team has been appointed and architectural design of the major project at the school is progressing. This school is listed in section 9 of the 2004 school building programme which is published on the Department's website. This proposed project is currently at stage one of architectural planning-site suitability-site survey. It has been assigned a band 2 rating by the Department in accordance with the published criteria for prioritising large-scale projects.

The 2004 school building programme at primary and post-primary level amounts to €387 million and outlines details of over 200 large-scale projects proceeding to construction, 120 projects recently completed or under construction and over 400 projects at various stages of the architectural planning process.

When publishing the 2004 schools building programme, the Department outlined that its strategy would be grounded in capital investment based on multi-annual allocations. Officials from the Department are reviewing all projects which were not authorised to proceed to construction as part of the 2004 school building programme, including Scoil Mhuire Convent of Mercy, Strokestown, with a view to including them as part of a multi-annual school building programme for 2005. The Department expects to be in a position to make further announcements on this matter in the course of the year.

Regional Fisheries Boards.

Mr. Penrose

I thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, for selecting this extremely important matter for the Adjournment. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of the Department of Communications, the Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Browne, who will reply to this matter. He has a particular responsibility for this brief and I appreciate his presence at this late hour. It is an indication of his concern.

This question has been raised on behalf of approximately 60 general operatives who are employed throughout the country by the various fisheries boards, all of which come under the umbrella of the Central Fisheries Board. Coming from an important lake district of the midlands, I have an obvious interest in this area.

I am pleased to note that thousands of employees of the various health boards and local authorities throughout the country and officers within the fisheries boards can look forward to the second payment of 50% under the recent benchmarking agreement. This is important in the context of increasing the wages of various personnel in those areas who were on low wages for a long period. While these people can look forward to their deserved moneys under the agreement, the 60 general operatives employed by the fisheries boards still await their first payment. These workers still await the release of a document from the Central Fisheries Board or the Department of Finance on which to ballot. Payment under the benchmarking agreement has been protracted in regard to this sector.

These State employees are sick and tired of being treated like second-class citizens. A certain amount of frustration and anger is building up among them when it comes to the payment of such national agreements. It is worth reflecting that in 2001 these same workers experienced similar frustration and anger as payment of moneys due under the analogue agreement was extremely protracted in its execution and final implementation. Three years on history is repeating itself.

So far as I am aware - and the Minister of State has the full facts - a letter was forwarded by SIPTU in November 2003 to the management of the Central Fisheries Board. This raised concerns pertaining to the protracted nature of the 2001 scenario and requested that a repetition should be avoided at all costs. Since then numerous representations by SIPTU, on behalf of the general operatives, have resulted in little or no relevant information emanating from the Central Fisheries Board or the Department of Finance. Perhaps it is the dead hand of the Department of Finance that is delaying this matter. It was essential to ascertain the timeframe and the structure of the payment of the first phase of the parallel benchmarking for these workers to which they are duly entitled.

This matter has dragged on. Somebody has to grasp the nettle and ensure the payment to which the general operatives are duly entitled is forthcoming. I ask the Minister of State for a positive reply.

Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Browne)

I thank Deputy Penrose for raising this issue. The pay relationship referred to by the Deputy applies to the general operative grades employed by the central and regional fisheries boards which are modelled on similar grades within the local authorities.

Under the general operatives and related grades parallel benchmarking pay arrangements, these employees of the fisheries boards are entitled to pay awards subject to the agreement of management and unions to a modernisation plan. In this case the modernisation plan had to be modelled on the plan for the local authorities which was approved and published last year.

The preparation and drafting of the modernisation plan had to be discussed and agreed with the unions and management of the seven regional fisheries boards and the central board. It must be recognised that there is a process to be followed in the granting of these awards and that negotiations on issues of this nature can understandably take some time to complete. In addition, payment of an award is contingent on Department of Finance approval of the revised scale amounts and the proposed method of implementation of awards.

The formally agreed and signed modernisation plan must also be approved by the performance verification group which operates within my Department. This is a high level group which is responsible for verifying performance as set out in modernisation action plans for fisheries boards and other non-commercial semi-State bodies operating under the aegis of my Department.

On 17 May 2004, the Central Fisheries Board submitted on behalf of the regional fisheries boards a draft modernisation plan covering pay and modernisation for the general operative grades. In addition, details of the draft scales, which will apply to the general operative grades, together with the proposed method of implementation of the awards, were submitted to my Department on 4 June 2004 for consideration and approval by the Department of Finance. Approval of the draft scales and method of implementation is expected to be forthcoming from the Department shortly. My Department has been informed by the Central Fisheries Board that approval of the draft scales must be received before the draft modernisation plan can be formally agreed and signed by management and unions. When the formally agreed plan is received by my Department, it will be assessed as quickly as possible by the performance verification group. I am advised that arrangements to pay the awards will be made as soon as possible after the plan, has been approved by the verification group.

While I appreciate that employees of the fisheries boards are anxious to receive their pay increases, I emphasise that this is not a straightforward pay round. Increases are linked to the adoption of a modernisation strategy, the formulation and adoption of which necessarily takes time to complete. The timeframe since receipt of the revised scales by my Department for approval on 4 June cannot be considered unreasonably long. I assure the Deputy that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure that payment of the awards to the general operative grades will be made at the earliest possible date with appropriate retrospective effect.

Hospital Services.

Mr. Allen

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this matter. I do so because the reply I received to Question No. 321 submitted for written answer yesterday was not satisfactory. The reply was not specific enough to deal with the issues I raised. As a result, I intend to set out the position in more detail here tonight.

I am concerned that in the wake of the Lindsay tribunal no consultant haematologist with an interest in haemophilia has been appointed by the Southern Health Board. Recommendations Nos. 4, 5 and 7 of the tribunal are not being implemented. The Southern Health Board has sought a haemophilia consultant appointment, the paperwork for which was sent to the Department in autumn 2003. Despite this, the post has not yet been sanctioned and two recent letters from the health board on the matter have failed to elicit an explanation for the delay. I ask the Minister for Health and Children to explain why there is a delay in sanctioning this badly needed post, why haemophilia facilities in Cork are not being upgraded and why the recommendations of the Lindsay tribunal are not being implemented in Cork University Hospital, which has the highest number of patients with haemophilia and other bleeding disorders after St. James's Hospital in Dublin.

The gap between facilities in Cork and Dublin is enormous. While there are three consultants specifically detailed to deal with these issues in Dublin, Cork is awaiting the appointment of one. The Lindsay report was published in 2002 although the problems it highlighted were known before then. The Southern Health Board had a haematologist from 1979 to 2002 who dealt with leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, general haematology, a laboratory, blood transfusion, haemophilia and teaching. Even this list is not complete. In November 2000, there were 62 patients with bleeding disorders recorded on the database in Cork. In 2002, 150 patients were registered and by January 2004 this number had increased to 221.

Currently, there are no facilities for adult haemophilia patients at Cork University Hospital. There is no haematology day unit and patients are seen as a result at locations which include the accident and emergency and radiotherapy departments. The Minister must agree that both locations are inappropriate. Basic equipment such as needles and syringes are carried around by the haemophilia nurse who has no clinical base. There is only one whole-time equivalent haemophilia nurse as a result of which adequate patient follow-up is difficult to arrange in advance. There is no facility for private consultation or counselling, which Judge Lindsay referred to in recommendation No. 7 of her report. There is no current facility for recording patient attendance other than the record kept by the specialist haemophilia nurse and there is a danger that record keeping will be inadequate without a dedicated base. In this regard, I refer the Minister to Lindsay tribunal recommendation No. 5.

This is a serious issue. Requests have been made to the Department but neither a response nor an explanation has been forthcoming.

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

I thank Deputy Allen for raising this matter. In the absence of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, I will respond to the issues raised.

The provision of hospital services and the appointment of staff at Cork University Hospital are matters for the Southern Health Board. Among a number of applications for consultant posts, the board has submitted an application to the Department of Health and Children for a new post at the hospital of consultant haematologist with an interest in haemophilia. The question of funding for additional consultant posts can only be considered in the context of the Southern Health Board's priorities for services in the acute hospitals sector. The matter is under consideration and the Department will revert to the Southern Health Board.

Officials of the Department are working with the Irish Haemophilia Society and treating physicians under the auspices of the National Haemophilia Council to progress the implementation of the recommendations in the Lindsay report. The establishment of the council was a key recommendation. I assure the Deputy that the needs of the Southern Health Board together with the needs of the other regional boards will be fully taken into account in the implementation process. Furthermore, a consultant from Cork University Hospital is the nominated representative of the Irish Haematology Society on the National Haemophilia Council and the product selection and monitoring advisory group. The Council and the group are the principal representative bodies advising the Minister on haemophilia care.

The major recommendation made by Judge Lindsay in her report is that persons with haemophilia must have continued access to blood products of the highest standard and safest nature available. In 2003, priority was given to the work of the product selection and monitoring advisory group. As a result of the considerable time and effort dedicated to ensuring that the views of stakeholders were given due consideration, the group was in a position to advise the Irish Blood Transfusion Service on the safest and most efficacious products for the treatment of haemophilia nationally for the period 2003 to 2005. This represents a major achievement of the collaborative process undertaken by all concerned.

Last April, the Minister was invited by the National Haemophilia Council to launch a major quality initiative in the delivery of haemophilia care. This project, which will meet a number of the recommendations of the Lindsay tribunal, will provide a new international standard to ensure excellence in the storage, delivery, prescription and administration of haemophilia products. The project will help to ensure that the care provided to persons with haemophilia will be of a consistently high standard regardless of where they live. Another initiative which is well under way is the development of a national viral assessment programme and haemophilia database which will meet key concerns outlined in the Lindsay report, especially those relating to medical records, including test results. The programme will support the delivery of patient care both in the national centre for hereditary coagulation disorders at St. James's Hospital in Dublin and treating centres nationwide.

The Irish Haematology Society is working with the National Haemophilia Council on the development of national treatment protocols and a patient information day is being planned for November to launch them.

The Dáil adjourned at 11 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 1 July 2004.