Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Nov 2009

Vol. 695 No. 1

Adjournment Debate.

Schools Building Projects.

Deputy Kieran O’Donnell

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this important matter on the Adjournment. The John F. Kennedy Memorial School, Ennis Road, Limerick, caters for 282 boys from second class to sixth class with a complement of 16 teachers and a great principal. The school opened on 1 July 1965 and was named after the late President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who visited Limerick in 1963. As far back as July 1971, the school was approved for new accommodation with sanction given for a 16-teacher facility. This was reaffirmed by the Department of Education and Science 30 years later in 2001. In the eight years since, the school has reached all stages of the building process and is now awaiting approval to go to tender.

The school should have been provided for funding for this stage well before this date. Back in November 2008, there was a meeting between the school management and the Minister for Education and Science after which there was an understanding that the school would be provided with funding this year. The school has yet to receive information to that effect.

The school is also on the incorrect banding rate of 2.4, which effectively refers to minor refurbishments to existing buildings, when it should be on a 2.1 rating, a new school build. In 2005, after the Department's chief architect visited the school, the decision was made to completely demolish the existing building and rebuild the school. There is also evidence that the day-to-day functionality of the school will be impaired unless remedial action is taken promptly. The school has six prefab rooms attached to the main building which are damp and the classrooms are too small. The toilets are situated outside and are antiquated. The school is very open with public access at the back.

What is required is the school to be re-banded from a 2.4 to a 2.1 rating. My understanding is that the banding decision will be taken in the next week to ten days. I wrote to the Minister on 8 October following representations to me by the school management, principal and parents' association and followed this up with a further letter on 12 October which included a report from the project architects clearly indicating that this school should be given a 2.4 rather than a 2.1 rating. I welcome that a meeting will take place with the Department of Education and Science on 26 November to progress the application to stage 2(b).

I want confirmation from the Minister of State tonight that the school's rating will be upgraded from 2.4, which is refurbishment, to 2.1, which is refurbishment of a significant nature. The school is to be rebuilt by agreement with the Department of Education and Science and as such what is required is demolition and new school build. Furthermore, I would like the Minister of State to confirm that the school will be allowed to go to tender stage to enable this project to proceed. It is hoped building of the new school will be able to commence next February, some 40 years after agreement on the construction of a new school. I look forward to hearing good news from the Minister of State tonight in regard to JFK Memorial national school, Limerick.

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney)

I apologise for the fact that the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, is unable to be here this evening. I thank Deputy O'Donnell for raising this matter which gives me the opportunity to outline to the Dáil the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and to outline the current position in regard to the school mentioned by Deputy O'Donnell, namely, JFK Memorial national school, Limerick.

As the Deputy will appreciate, modernising facilities in our existing building stock and the need to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth are a significant challenge. The Government has shown a consistent determination to improve the condition of our school buildings and to ensure that the appropriate facilities are in place to enable the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum. However, the level of demand on the school building programme is such that all projects cannot be carried out together. They will have to be carried out over time in a structured and coherent manner and that is the reasoning behind the Department's published prioritisation criteria.

The Department's forward planning section has carried out a study of the country to identify areas where, due to demographic changes, there may be a requirement for significant additional school provision at primary and post-primary levels in the coming years. This study has been conducted using data from the Central Statistics Office, the General Register Office and the Department of Social and Family Affairs in addition to recent schools' enrolment data. The study indicates that the requirement for additional primary provision in the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 is likely to be greatest in more than 40 selected locations across the country based on significant changes to the demographics of those areas. I can inform the Deputy that Limerick City has been identified as one of these areas.

Deputy Kieran O’Donnell

I welcome that.

Deputy John Moloney

This information has been circulated to all existing school patrons who have been invited to bring forward proposals for the expansion of existing schools or indeed to put themselves forward as patron for any new primary school, should it be required. The requirement for the establishment of new schools will be lessened where it is possible to expand and extend existing schools in those areas. All of these factors will inform the Department's building programme for 2010 and subsequent years.

The project for JFK Memorial national school, to which the Deputy refers, is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. As the Deputy pointed out, the school applied for large-scale capital funding for an extension-refurbishment project. However, due to the extent of additional accommodation needed and the condition of the existing school building, a decision was taken to provide a new school. The project has been assigned a band 2.4 rating under the published prioritisation criteria for large-scale building projects. I acknowledge that the Deputy informed the Department on 8 October of the need to revisit the band rating. Recently, the school has sought a review of this band rating and this matter is under consideration by the Department. I confirm that the meeting referred to by the Deputy will take place in Tullamore on Thursday, 26 November. The briefing is intended to fully inform the school and its design team what is required to bring the school to stage 2(b) approval and to assist them in reaching this stage without delay. For the record, stage 2(b) is the precursor to approval to go to tender. Bringing the project for JFK Memorial national school to stage 2b approval will allow it to be considered for advancement to tender and construction when the opportunity arises and resources permit.

I am sure that the Deputy will appreciate that the progression of all large-scale building projects, including the project for JFK Memorial national school, is dependent on prioritisation of the competing demands on the Department's capital budget. The project will be considered in the context of the Department's multi-annual school building and modernisation programme for 2010 and subsequent years. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of the Department, it is not possible at this time to give an indicative timeframe for delivery of the project. The meeting proposed for 26 November should move the project on considerably.

I again thank the Deputy for raising the matter and assure him that the Minister is committed to advancing the project when resources permit.