I thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for allowing me to discuss the need for the Minister for Education to urgently provide funding for the building of a multi-denominational school at Ranelagh. I wish to give two minutes of my time to Senator O'Toole.
Adjournment Matters. - Ranelagh Multi-denominational School.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
The multi-denominational school at Ranelagh was established in 1988 in the former Church of Ireland premises at St. Columba's national school, Ranelagh. It has grown from a two classroom school with 55 pupils in 1988 to a six classroom school with 180 pupils in September of this year. Despite its rundown appearance and obvious shortcomings in terms of facilities, the Ranelagh multi-denominational school continues to attract a growing enrolment. This may be due to its educational policy, its multi-denominational ethos and its strategic location in a popular inner city suburb. The purpose and spirit of the school do not vary from those of other primary schools. As a multi-denominational school it seeks only the opportunity to provide a new strand within the national school fabric.
The multi-denominational school at Ranelagh is essentially a local school and 140 families have requested places in 1994, of which 120 want to place junior infants and the remainder older children. The waiting lists for the following years are: 1995,90; 1996,67; 1997,45. I believe from these figures that the viability and social demand for the school has been firmly established. The pre-enrolment list indicates an increasing demand for places in the school. In order to accommodate the waiting list, an eight classroom school is required by 1995. All the existing classrooms are substandard and undersized. The prefab temporary constructions are well past their viability span.
The extension of planning permission on these premises expires in 1995 under an An Bord Pleanála planning decision of November 1990. These temporary timber frame structures do not comply with the current fire regulations and will not be acceptable to the planning authority after 1996. A new eight classroom school on the existing site, which is owned by the board of management, is required. I understand the feasibility study has been completed. The management committee are ready with their plans for the building of a new school and their primary goal is their inclusion in the new school building programme in the Estimates for the 1994 capital programme.
It may come as a surprise to the Minister and his officials that a new national school is required in this area because I know the Department has to deal with the problem of an ever increasing number of empty classrooms in schools that were built in recent years in certain parts of Dublin. I wish to reflect on the catchment area which is served by the school. I know it well as I represent it on Dublin City Council. A new eight classroom school was built on Belmont Avenue recently serving the Donny brook area. This is an excellently run school and has a long waiting list. Recently a new national school was built at Sandford and it also has a waiting list. Tonight I am making the case for a new multi-denominational school at Ranelagh.
The need for the multi-denominational school at Ranelagh may be due to its education policy or its multi-denominational ethos but there are other factors which affect the area. The three schools in question have long waiting lists and one might ask why. One reason is that a number of younger people with children of school-going age have come to live in the area. Second a growing number of family houses that were previously converted into multi-flats are now once again being restored to family dwellings. This puts pressure on the school places available in the catchment area. There are also a number of secondary schools in the area which previously had junior schools attached to them but, due to a lack of staff and the difficulty for parents in meeting their financial commitments to fee paying junior schools, these schools are being phased out. This puts added pressure on the waiting list for the excellent national schools in the area.
When the Minister gives the green light to the board of management to build the new school, they will be faced with the problem of finding alternative accommodation for the pupils and teachers during the reconstruction programme. However, suitable alternative accommodation may be available during 1994. The owners of the premises in question have looked favourably on the application of the board of management of the Ranelagh multi-denominational national school and indicated that they have alternative proposals for the premises but they are not in a position to give a long term commitment to the Ranelagh school's board of management.
I reiterate the three main reasons funding for the building of the multi-denominational national school is so urgently required: first, the long established waiting lists; second, the present prefabs are temporary constructions and extension of the planning permission on these buildings expires in 1995; and third, suitable alternative accommodation will be available to the teachers and pupils while the building programme is taking place but it is unlikely to be available after 1995. For these reasons I ask the Minister to include this school building programme in the 1994 capital programme Estimates.
I express my appreciation to Senator Doyle for allowing me two minutes to make an intervention on this issue. This is one of the schools the INTO assessed over the last year or so and it is included on the list of priority schools, submitted to the Department of Education, which require an immediate response from the Department.
There are a number of reasons this school needs to be helped immediately. First, it is unsafe and unhealthy. That is a reality of which the parents, teachers and board are aware. It is impossible to implement the curriculum correctly in the present circumstances. My office has been in contact with the Department over the last two days about this school.
Yesterday the school received a written commitment from another local facility which has offered accommodation during 1994. This school must be included in the 1994 list because they must evacuate the site when building work is being carried out as it would be unsafe to remain. This is an urgent matter and must be dealt with.
I am slow to say one school is more important than another, but in order to accommodate the change with minimum disruption to the operation of the school, it must be done during 1994. The Minister said there is to be an increase in the building grant for primary schools next year. The Estimates are being compiled at present and this school must be included; it is needed because of overcrowding in this area. There is co-operation between the community, the board of management and teachers. This school would be an investment in this area. I urge the Minister to take immediate action in this regard.
I thank Senator Doyle for raising this matter. He was ably supported by Senator O'Toole. I am familiar with the priority list which his organisation has forwarded to the Department and I assure him it is being seriously considered.
This school was established with three teachers in September 1988. The Ranelagh Multi-denominational School Association acquired the premises of the former St. Columbus Church of Ireland school in Ranelagh for the purpose of the new school. Accommodation consists of the former church building and hall and two prefabricated classrooms on the site. Since the school was established enrolment has increased to 177 pupils with a staff of six teachers. An extra classroom was provided for in September 1991 by converting part of the hall into one classroom and toilets. A further classroom was provided for in September 1993 by partitioning another area of the hall. An inspector of the Department has indicated that further classrooms will be required in 1994 and 1995.
The school authority seeks the provision of a new eight classroom school to replace the existing school. Officials of the Department met a deputation from the board of management to discuss the long term proposals for the school. The Department confirmed in writing to the school authority that there is no option in relation to the long term accommodation requirements of the school but to provide a new purpose built school premises. The feasibility of providing the new school building on the site of the present premises is being investigated in order to initiate architectural planning.
Senators will be aware that, because of the large volume of major building projects on hand and limitations on resources, it is only possible to allow a certain number of projects to proceed to construction in any one financial year. However, I assure Senators that the Department accepts this project is a high priority one in the context of projects to be allowed to proceed to construction when architect planning has been completed. The priority list submitted by Senator O'Toole's organisation will be favourably considered when decisions are made in the near future.
The Seanad adjourned at 8.35 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 25 November 1993.