I thank the Cathaoirleach for affording me the opportunity to raise the issue of St. Joseph's secondary school, Tulla, on the Adjournment. It is unfortunate that it has again become an issue which must be debated in the Seanad. I want specific answers from the Minister regarding the recent decision made by the Department of Education and Science to proceed with an extension to St. Joseph's secondary school. As the Minister is aware, the parents, teachers and entire Tulla community were most dissatisfied with the decision to proceed with an extension. Their strongly preferred and logical option was a new school on a greenfield site.
The local community prepared a package which they presented to the Minister for Education and Science. Detailed work was done on this by a local architect who made very specific proposals, along with teachers and parents representatives. It must have been clear to the Minister and his officials that the overriding view in Tulla was to proceed with a greenfield site. Nevertheless, the Department has, for a second time, made a decision to proceed with an extension.
A two-acre site in Tulla currently accommodates over 500 pupils; it is very congested. The proposal is to extend that school to accommodate 700 children. The current school opened in 1987 and had 270 pupils. The number of pupils has increased to 540 and all the indications are that the figure will expand much more rapidly in the future. If that happens, as we know it will, it does not seem to be prudent financial management by the Department to proceed with an extension on a two acre site that would prohibit future extension. A future Government will have to build a new school at enormous cost. It would be prudent financial management to build on a greenfield site a new school with playing pitches and to which an extension could be added.
Will the Minister tell us how this decision was reached? Were different considerations taken into account? Was the fact that this is a rapidly expanding area adjacent to Ennis considered? Previous figures showed that it expanded rapidly and current figures indicate that this will continue. Was the question of recreational facilities taken into account as the existing site does not provide these? Did the Department and the Minister properly examine the proposals submitted by the parents' and teachers' representatives?
The decision taken is contrary to the wishes of the local community, parents, teachers and all concerned. Who made such a decision without the agreement of the Tulla community? I thought that we lived in a democracy where the people's will was taken into account and where the wisdom and judgment of a local community received priority consideration. This decision must be looked at again since the prudent action is to build a new school on a greenfield site, affording the current and future students the best in educational facilities and the teachers the best environment in which to teach the young people of Tulla and its environs. If the project goes ahead as the Department envisages, how will the teachers teach and the students study while construction work goes on around and on top of the building? Why for the sake of saving €600,000 or €700,000 did the Department make this ill-considered decision for an area of County Clare where education was given priority in the past, and I hope will be given it in the future?
