I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me time to raise this matter which relates to the national school at Fore, County Westmeath. It was built in 1896, which will be 100 years ago next year. In that time, very little money has been spent in terms of modernising or renovating the school. Approximately 20 years ago, outside toilets were provided. However, students must leave their classrooms and cross a yard in all types of weather to use these facilities.
This matter relates to the position of teachers and students at present. Class numbers are in excess of 60 and the Department has granted an additional teacher, who will start teaching in the first week of September. There is also a remedial teacher in the school who has no room or facilities to teach the students other than the vestry of the local church. In this era of modernisation of our education system, the situation in which the students, parents' council, the board of management and the teachers find themselves is deplorable. An inspector has told the people in Fore that, if facilities are not improved, he will have to review the position of the remedial teacher. The provision of the prefab which I am calling for would, in the short term, alleviate the situation and allow the extra teacher to be appointed. There are two teachers in the school now, one teaching junior infants to second classes and the other teaching third to sixth classes.
Many eminent people started their education in Fore school. A Member of the other House of the Oireachtas, Deputy Flood, was educated in this school, as was his father, who distinguished himself over the years. Many other people in important professional positions across the world came out of the national school in Fore. It is a historic place of beauty and of importance to the Office of Public Works and to Westmeath County Council. People come to visit the seven wonders of Fore.
The basic necessity for the people living there is that a reasonable facility be granted for the primary education of their children. Because this school is almost 100 years old and there has been such a lack of investment over the years, with no existing toilets linked to the classrooms, no play area for students and a lack of teacher facilities, I call on the Department of Education first to provide a prefab as a matter of urgency to meet the requirement for the extra teacher and, second, to carry out a full and urgent examination of the school's needs before the autumn. These are basic demands which the Department should meet.
I compliment the parents' council and the board of management, who have worked tirelessly to try to improve facilities for the teachers and the students over the last number of years. Without the help of the Department, it is extremely difficult to continue in the present circumstances and I await the Minister's reply.
