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Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 17 Jun 1993

Vol. 136 No. 16

Adjournment Matters. - Clonmacnois (County Offaly) National School.

I would like to thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise the question of the appalling state of Clonmacnois national school in County Offaly. The conditions in which teachers there are currently obliged to educate their young pupils amount to a scandal. Clonmacnois has been a seat of learning since 545 A.D. when a monastery was founded there by St. Kieran. It became famous throughout Europe, and for 300 years students from many countries were taught a wide range of subjects there, including calligraphy, languages, poetry and the Brehon Laws. The Book of Clonmacnois ranks alongside the Book of Kells as one of the most historic works ever produced in this country. Because of its fame, Clonmacnois attracts over 100,000 visitors each year from Europe, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and other countries. As an Offaly man I am proud of Clonmacnois and its history, as is everyone else in the county.

I would like to place on record my thanks to the Office of Public Works for the splendid work it has carried out at Clonmacnois where in the last few years approximately £2 million has been spent on the monastery. However, visitors to the famous site also photograph the existing national school which is in an appalling state.

Clonmacnois national school is a three-teacher school with 79 pupils. Two of the classrooms cannot hold any more pupils due to lack of space. The school was originally built as a two-teacher unit in 1948. It now requires two new classrooms, a library and a staff room, as well as repairs to the old building. The roof of the school is leaking in four places and rainwater regularly flows onto the teachers and pupils below. The situation is so bad that staff and pupils have to mop up water from the floors every morning. There are no cloakrooms in the school and children are obliged to sit on wet tiles when changing their clothes. The existing staff room was converted from an old shelter and there is damp mould on every wall and ceiling in the school. There is also a real danger of electrocution from water dripping onto an immersion heater.

The story of the repairs and extension needed at this school goes back to 1982 when sanction was granted for a general purpose room there. In 1984 the Department of Education's architects visited the school, and the following year a departmental planning inspector called to check pupil numbers. In 1987 it was agreed to provide two new classrooms and repairs to existing buildings. In 1990, the departmental architects called again with outline sketch plans, and in 1991 the Department submitted completed sketch plans. In February that year planning permission was applied for. Permission was granted in September 1992, following an archaeological survey, and nothing has happened since then. The parents, teachers and board of management returned to the Department and asked for building specifications to be drawn up to allow the renovation work to go out to tender.

They have heard nothing of a positive nature in the intervening period. In fact, all they have heard is that the school is not being included in the 1993 plan, which is a scandal considering its appalling condition. There is sufficient money available for certain other items and projects and it is essential that money be found this year for work on this school. It is unfair on the teachers and pupils to have to work under such appalling conditions.

I ask the Minister to ensure that the money is provided this year, less than £150,000 is required. We met the Minister of Education on 25 February 1993 and she told us that money would not be available in 1993. I believe this money should be found and must be found. The educational opportunities for many pupils attending Clonmacnois national school are being hampered because of the condition of the school. They are at a disadvantage compared to pupils on other schools where conditions are better. They are not being treated fairly by the Department of Education.

It is the duty and responsibility of the Minister for Education to ensure that the pupils, teachers and parents of Clonmacnois are not treated in a discriminatory manner with regard to educational opportunities. Recently pupils were withdrawn from the school for one day. I sympathise with the parents and teachers who took this action. If I was the parent of a pupil attending the school, I would be justifiably annoyed and upset if my child had to endure such conditions.

I ask the Minister to make the necessary money available to the school in 1993 or, if not, to confirm that the funding will be provided in 1994.

I thank Senator Enright for raising this matter. I do not doubt his sincerity on the matter.

Consideration must be given to the important site on which the school is located. The present accommodation at this school consists of three small permanent classrooms and the staffing comprises a principal and two assistant teachers. The current enrolment is 78 pupils.

The Department of Education agreed in October 1990 to provide two new classrooms and to convert two of the existing classrooms to a general purposes room. The general purposes room is to be provided entirely at local expense. Sketch plans for this proposal were immediately started and were completed in January 1991. Copies of these plans were sent to the school authorities to enable them to seek local authority planning permission.

Unfortunately, at that stage there were delays which were outside the control of my Department. Because of the school's close proximity to the ancient monastic site at Clonmacnois the local authorities referred the matter to the Office of Public Works who advised that a test excavation would have to be done in order to ascertain the existence and extent of any archaeological deposits on the site. This excavation found that there was very little archaeological material on the site however and this excavation and investigation delayed the granting of planning permission until October 1992.

The next stage in the procedure is the preparation of tender documents. It was not possible to include the Clonmacnois project in the 1993 construction programme for national schools. The Senator is aware that this was confirmed in February 1993 by the Minister for Education.

The Senator also referred to improvement works required at the school. The school authorities contacted the Department at the end of March 1993 regarding the poor condition of a flat roof and windows at the school. A report has recently been received in the Department from the local Office of Public Works and is being examined at the moment. The school authorities will be contacted about these matters at a very early date.

I think the Senator will accept that there has been no appreciable delay to date in trying to improve the facilities at Clonmacnois national school. I can only assure the Senator that careful consideration will be given to the inclusion in due course of the major project at this school in the Department's primary building programme having regard to the level of funds available and other commitments and priorities.

Is the Minister in a position to guarantee that the funds will be available in 1994?

I am not in such a position. I would advise the Senator that the relevant decisions will be made within the next few months and they will depend on the availability of finance.

I ask the Minister to treat the matter as priority.

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