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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Apr 2005

Vol. 600 No. 1

School Accommodation.

Yet again I raise the issue of school places at primary level in Dublin 15. It is hard to believe the Minister for Education and Science and this Government can act so callously as to deprive small children of a place in primary school. However, this is precisely what the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, and her junior Minister, Deputy Brian Lenihan, are doing in Littlepace, Castaheaney, Ongar, Diswellstown, Tyrellstown and in many other areas of Dublin 15. Parents are being left in limbo as to whether their child will get a place in primary school in September 2005. What is happening is not acceptable in any country least of all in a wealthy country such as Ireland.

The Minister for Education and Science seems to have a callous disregard for the needs of the children of Dublin 15. For Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats, the needs of millionaire property developers seem to come before those of school children and their parents. I have been inundated with complaints from very distressed parents who in good faith put their child's name down in the local school — in some cases, the month their child was born four and a half years ago — expecting to get a place but who have now been told that because of the huge number of children looking for places, their child cannot be accommodated even though they have visited the school every year for four years since the child was born. This is a crisis.

Mary Mother of Hope national school, Littlepace, Dublin 15, has only been able to accept 90 children, that is, three streams of junior infants, while more than 200 children applied for places. More than 100 children have been told to go away and that there is no place for them. St. Patrick's national school, Diswellstown, Castleknock, has only been able to accept 90 junior infants while at the moment, its applications are running between 140 and 160.

The new Castaheaney Educate Together school is also facing an uncertain September. The number of places is oversubscribed. At present the school children are being bussed to Lucan. The Minister has said she will get a school site but as yet neither she nor her Department has moved to acquire a site. It is getting very late in the year even to put a prefab on a site and get it ready for September. Other primary schools throughout Dublin 15 are inundated with requests from parents for places next September.

The Minister for Education and Science, Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats have allowed the situation with primary school places in Dublin 15 to slide into chaos once more with huge upset being caused to children and parents. Given what we were told the Government learned during the by-elections in Meath and North Kildare about the increased population and all the new building and housing, we thought that something would have been done. I call on the Minister for Education and Science to establish a task force as a matter of urgency to deal with the crisis in school places manifesting itself in the Dublin 15 area and which will be truly dreadful for parents and children come next September.

I hope the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, has come to the House with good news rather than more hand-wringing and saying he is sorry but the Government did not know an extra 10,000 houses were being built over the past five years in this school catchment area.

I apologise to the House and Deputy Burton for the Minister, Deputy Hanafin's, inability to attend. However, on her behalf, I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and for giving me the opportunity to outline the actions being taken by the Department of Education and Science to address the school accommodation needs of the Dublin 15 area in general.

The Minister is fully conscious that the Dublin 15 area is one of the most rapidly developing areas in the country and, as a result, there has been a marked increase in the demand for school places, particularly at primary level. The Department is taking a number of immediate measures to increase the capacity of existing schools in the area concerned along with the development of new schools to meet this growing demand.

A building project at Sacred Heart national school, Huntstown, will increase its capacity to 32 classrooms. This project is nearing completion. In addition, a building project to provide a new school building for Mary Mother of Hope national school is currently on site and should be ready for use this September. To further expand capacity at this school, the Department has approached the school's board of management to discuss the possibility of expanding the school to cater for a four stream intake at junior infant level for next September. This could be achieved by the school expanding to a 32 classroom school or reorganising to form a junior and senior school.

The area in question is also served by Castaheaney Educate Together national school. The Department is currently pursuing the issue of site acquisition for this school and the provision of a permanent school building for it will be prioritised in the Department. It is envisaged that the demand for places will be such that this school may need to grow to a 24 classroom school which would facilitate an annual intake of three junior infant classes. In the interim, temporary accommodation will be provided to meet the school's immediate needs for next September.

Recently the Department met the management authorities of St. Patrick's national school, Diswellstown, and St. Francis Xavier junior national school to discuss enrolments for September 2005. Following this meeting, the Department sanctioned provision of a fourth temporary classroom for St. Patrick's which will enable it to offer places to a further 30 children on its waiting list.

The Department also sanctioned provision of two temporary classrooms for St. Patrick's junior national school, Corduff, to cater for the increased demand for junior infant places. An application to establish a new Educate Together primary school in Tyrellstown is under consideration with the new schools' advisory committee and a decision on this will be made in the near future. The Department is confident the implementation of the measures I have outlined will alleviate the demand for pupil places in this rapidly developing area.

As to the political charge that the Minister is callous, any neutral observer will appreciate she is very caring and most anxious to facilitate the many children in this growing and developing area of Dublin 15. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter.

Site Acquisitions.

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this important matter on the Adjournment. Gaelscoil na Cruaiche has been in existence since 1 September 1995, having commenced with seven pupils. It obtained temporary recognition in 1996 with an enrolment of 30 pupils and the sanctioning of two permanent teaching posts. Since then the school has gone from strength to strength and has moved to three different premises. The date 15 May 2000 was a historic day for the school because it received permanent recognition from the Department of Education and Science. There are almost 200 pupils enrolled in the Gaelscoil and there are nine permanent teachers on the staff. The Gaelscoil has resource and remedial teachers. The board employs ten additional part-time teachers of French, German, music, accordion, flute, sports and dance.

During the past nine years, the Gaelscoil enrolled 30 pupils each September which resulted in the sanctioning of a permanent teaching post in the school each year. If the performance is an indication of the future enrolment it will have a ten-teacher school with well in excess of 200 pupils in 2006. It has a learning atmosphere second to none in which teachers, parents and children co-operate in realising the potential of an all-Ireland national school in Westport.

The problem is that the school is on a temporary site in five prefabricated classrooms and since the lease will soon expire it will have to prepare for another move. The position is desperate because almost 200 pupils and nine teachers could be out on the road. The school has been expanding and for the school year 2005-06 more than 12 children are booked.

The school has received notice to quit by 2006 and the lease is non-renewable. That means that almost 200 pupils will be on the street in 13 months' time unless alternative accommodation is provided. The reply I received to a question I tabled on the matter in December 2004 was that the OPW was examining the site. The OPW was asked in 2001 to examine the site but it decided in 2004 that it was not successful in finding one. This is a major problem in an area which has an important job to do in the education of children through Gaeilge. This is a matter that requires urgent action.

I am aware of a shocking report on conditions and the health and safety aspects of the school, which was commissioned by the board of management. It paints a terrible picture of dry and wet rot and so on. The five prefabricated buildings were bought second-hand six years ago and are falling apart. Taking into account eviction notices, dry and wet rot and so on, the position is critical. I raised the matter with the Minister for Education and Science in February and was informed that the property management section of the Office of Public Works was exploring the possibility of acquiring a site for the school referred to by me. The Minister was unable to give me more information because of commercial sensitivities. The position is desperate. It appears OPW has to appoint a site, which it has not done so far. I am hoping for some news on that issue.

The OPW has done its final assessment and has told the school this would be ready soon. That was nine weeks ago but yet the school has heard nothing. Nothing has been done about the provision of a school site, the shape of the school to come or the financial allocation, and it has to open on 1 June 2006. The Department has said it cannot do anything until it receives the report from the Office of Public Works. So far there is no sign of the design or planning stages. Can we please have some news on the school as the parents and pupils are desperate? Will almost 200 pupils be out on the street in 13 months' time?

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, the Department's proposals in regard to the provision of a new facility for Gaelscoil na Cruaiche in Westport, County Mayo.

Since the beginning of the year the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, has made a number of announcements relating to the schools building and modernisation programme. This year alone, €270 million will be allocated to primary schools and €223 million to post-primary schools for building works. This represents an increase of 14% on the 2004 allocation.

The programmes supported will include 141 major building projects already on site and more due to go on site in the near future; 122 major school building projects countrywide which will go to tender and construction during 2005 or early 2006; 192 primary schools which have been invited to take part in the small and rural schools initiative and the devolved scheme for providing additional accommodation; approximately 120 schools which have been given approval to rent temporary premises pending delivery of a permanent solution to their long-term accommodation needs; 43 schools which have been authorised to start architectural planning of their major projects; and 590 schools which were recently given approval to complete essential small scale projects under the summer works scheme.

The new Schools Building and Modernisation Programme 2005-2009 will be underpinned not just by a significant increase in overall funding but also by major improvements in the administration of the funding. Devolving more funding to local level through the summer works scheme and the small and rural schools initiative will allow schools to move ahead more quickly with smaller projects.

Gaelscoil na Cruaiche opened in September 1996 with provisional recognition and was granted permanent recognition in 2000. The school is accommodated in prefabricated classrooms on a three-quarter acre site in the town. The cost of site and classroom rental is grant-aided by the Department of Education and Science at the rate of 95%.

The property management section of the Office of Public Works, which purchases sites for new schools on behalf of the Department, is exploring the possibility of acquiring a site for the school in question. Following a recent advertisement placed by the Office of Public Works, seeking proposals of possible sites, a number of responses have been received. As Deputy Cowley has stated, these sites have been visited and a technical report is being prepared. I shall convey the Deputy's views to the Minister that he is anxious that this be provided as quickly as possible. Of course, when sites are being examined there are commercial sensitivities and the Department is unable to comment further on specific site acquisitions.

I assure the Deputy that the permanent accommodation needs of the school are being addressed as expeditiously as possible but, perhaps, not as quickly as the Deputy, teachers, parents and children would wish. The provision of a permanent building for the school will be progressed in the context of the school buildings and modernisation programme when a site has been acquired.

The Department will continue to grant-aid the use of temporary accommodation at the rate of 95% of the cost pending the delivery of permanent accommodation.

I thank Deputy Cowley for raising the matter. I shall bring his views to the attention of the Minister and the Department at the earliest opportunity.

Schools Building Projects.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise an important issue on the conditions for teachers and students at Kilfinane national school, County Limerick. I have been raising this issue for the past six years. There is an increased urgency for the construction of a new school at Kilfinane. I have seen at first hand the conditions pertaining there, which are continuing to deteriorate, as the school is very old. The promises made some three years ago that a school would be built immediately after the general election should now be honoured.

The report to the INTO made it clear that the facilities at the school are unsatisfactory and have been so for several years. The school is the base for a remedial teacher who is shared among five schools. Her classroom is a cubicle partitioned off a room also used as a staff room, library and office. The resource teacher works in similar conditions. The disruption is continuous and not conducive to a learning experience. It renders the teacher's job particularly difficult and places the children who learn in that environment at a further disadvantage. There are no indoor PE facilities, no general purpose room and no place for children to leave their gear for outdoor games. The staff is enthusiastic in encouraging the use of computers but with so little space this is extremely difficult. Toilet facilities for staff are inadequate while the outdoor facilities for children are Dickensian. I doubt that the school building would pass examination by the Health and Safety Authority. The school was forced to close for two days recently because of concern for the safety of the children.

It is more than eight years since representations were first made regarding the provision of this school. The feasibility study carried out clearly shows that a new building is the only viable option. A site was acquired for this purpose and the Department of Education and Science commissioned a feasibility study on the site and found it suitable. The staff wants what is best for the children of the parish. They also need practical working conditions to enable them to carry out their professional duties. They have found themselves frustrated over the years. The school has a shared remedial teacher, a full-time resource teacher and a part-time resource teacher. In January 1998 the board of management applied to the Department of Education and Science to carry out structural works on the old school. The Department and the board of management decided that a new school was required. Approval was granted in 2001.

The existing building dates back to 1909. The school is housed in a converted church. It consists of six small classrooms, three of which are only 25 square metres in area. There is a tiny ancillary room used as the library and a tiny office and cloakroom. There is also a small central hall that can be accessed from the classrooms. Part of this hall has had to be sacrificed to accommodate the secretary's office. There is no staff room and the toilets are situated outdoors. The outdoor playing space is very limited and teachers are concerned for the safety of the children. Three other classrooms measure seven by five metres in area and house classes of between 25 and 30 pupils. Partitions between classrooms are wafer-thin, consisting of narrow timber boards or glass and are not sound-proof which causes difficulties for teaching and learning. The timber floors have begun to sag in many areas due to the building design. Ceilings are very high and temperature extremes are common. The present school is situated on a steep slope, which creates safety problems. There are many unavoidable drops and steps within the site, which are dangerous and always a concern to teachers and parents.

The delay in acquiring the site was claimed as a reason for not providing the school. In November 2002 the site was acquired. The Department knew of the school's problems and the need for a new school back in 1998. There is evidence of dry rot and many of the windows cannot be opened, leading to a lack of ventilation. Sinks are provided in only three of the rooms. There is no staff room.

Kilfinane is a developing community. In the past three years there have been 220 planning permissions for dwelling houses within a radius of three miles. The projected estimate is for 250 dwellings within the next three years. It is an expanding community in need of a new school, not alone for the present pupils and teachers but for future pupils and teachers.

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the strategy of the Department of Education and Science for capital investment in education projects and to outline the position regarding the application received in the Department for improved accommodation at Kilfinane national school, Kilfinane, County Limerick.

Since the beginning of the year the Minister for Education and Science has made several announcements relating to the schools building and modernisation programme. This year alone, €270 million will be allocated to primary schools and €223 million to post-primary schools for building works. This represents an increase of 14% on the 2004 allocation.

The programmes supported will include 141 major building projects already on site and a further 28 due to commence in the coming weeks; 122 major school building projects country wide which will prepare tenders and move to construction during 2005; 192 primary schools which have been invited to take part in the small and rural schools initiative and the devolved scheme for providing additional accommodation. This scheme is in its infancy but already it is deemed to be very successful. Approximately 120 schools have been given approval to rent temporary premises pending delivery of a permanent solution to their long-term accommodation needs. Forty-three schools have been authorised to start architectural planning of their major projects and 590 schools were recently given approval to complete essential small scale projects under the summer works scheme. I am pleased to confirm that Kilfinane national school was successful in securing funding under this scheme to carry out essential roof works to part of the school building, at a cost of around €12,000.

Kilfinane national school is a co-educational primary school with a current enrolment of 130 pupils. Enrolments have decreased in recent years, from 162 pupils in the school year 1998-99 to 130 pupils in September 2004 and this downward trend has necessitated a further examination of proposed school size to ensure that any capital funding being provided is appropriate to meet the need. I take note of Deputy Neville's point that Kilfinane is a developing community with 220 planning permissions and increasing to 250 developments within a radius of the village. If this information is not already in the hands of the Department, I will bring it to the attention of the Minister.

Arising from an application for an extension from the school authority in 1998 it has been established that the school, which was constructed in 1909 and is located on a restricted site, is subject to a preservation order. Following a feasibility study it was considered more appropriate to address the needs of the school by way of a new school. The OPW, which acts on behalf of the Department of Education and Science in respect of site acquisitions, was requested to address the issue of site purchase but the diocese decided to purchase the site for the school. I understand the site is now in the ownership of the diocese.

The application for a new school at Kilfinane national school is being reassessed on the basis of the actual size of school to be provided. Once this has been completed the project will be banded in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria with a view to being considered for the appointment of a design team to commence architectural planning of the new school.

The Deputy will be aware that the Department has made a series of announcements in respect of the 2005 school building programme and will make further announcements on projects to go to architectural planning in the course of the year. I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the method used by the Department of Education and Science in determining in an open and transparent way the inclusion of projects in the school building programme and to assure the House that this school and all others will be treated in a fair and equitable manner.

The Dáil adjourned at 9.10 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 13 April 2005.
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