I welcome the opportunity to highlight the concerns of the authorities at St. John the Baptist national school, Midleton, County Cork, which urgently needs a new building. I am normally disappointed when the line Minister is not present to respond, but the Minister of State, Deputy Kelleher, knows this area and many of the parents involved and is aware of the need for new, modern accommodation at the school as soon as possible. I appreciate that, prior to the Minister of State's attendance to listen to my comments, he received a ready-made answer from his Department. I ask him to take the opportunity at his convenience during the coming weeks to meet the school authorities, examine the situation at first hand, determine what the possibilities are and make progress.
I will for the House and the Minister of State briefly outline the background. I understand St. John the Baptist national school has eight teachers and an enrolment of 218 pupils. It is almost unable to cater for the number of pupils wishing to attend. There are already 67 new applicants for next year. All three of the permanent classrooms need refurbishment and there are five prefabs. Given that three full-time special education teachers also work out of these prefabs, they house a total of eight teachers. An application to the Department of Education and Skills for major building works was lodged in 2005, but no response was forthcoming until recently when the Department's building section gave the standard reply of a lack of funding, etc. It was disappointing news for the board of management.
I have been asked by the school authorities to bring to the Minister of State's direct attention that the prefabs are costing €40,000 in rent per annum, a situation that is replicated throughout the country. At a time when we are discussing how to make a new beginning for the country and its economy, we must consider why such money is being spent on prefabricated accommodation that is fit neither for need nor for purpose.
It is also important to note that the prefabs in question are present under temporary planning permission from Midleton Town Council. The council has indicated to the school authorities that when the temporary permission expires, it will not be renewed. I am not attempting to scare the Department into action. It is a matter of fact that, bad and all as the prefabs are, it might not be possible for them to remain in place. Action is urgently required.
The board of management and the parents proposed a plan whereby much local assistance and labour would be made available if some type of public private partnership could be initiated. The €40,000 being used for rented accommodation could be used to repay a loan. When the education portfolio was held by the Minister of State's colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, he tried to introduce a number of pilot schemes. The town of Millstreet comes to mind, although I am unsure whether that project has come to fruition. Under the scheme, money would be put in place to build permanent classrooms instead of renting prefabs. We must be flexible where our school building needs are concerned. We all recognise the lack of national resources, but we also recognise the need to provide appropriate permanent accommodation. Tens of millions of euro are being wasted on rental accommodation per annum.
I look forward to what will be the Minister of State's standard answer. I appreciate how these matters work. As someone who comes from a parish that is only a few miles away from the school in question, I am sure children from his parish of Glanmire attend it. Will he take a personal interest in the project? Midleton is a long way from County Donegal, the home patch of the Tánaiste, and even the home patches of her Ministers of State. As the Minister of State, Deputy Kelleher, is present, we would like him to take an interest in the issue and determine whether a funding mechanism could be used to provide a better result. Spending €40,000 last year, the preceding year, next year and the following year to prop up structures that are beginning to fall down is a wanton waste of taxpayers' money. Would it not make sense to devise a formula or strategy, be it public or private, for this and other schools that would provide sufficient flexibility to allow works on permanent buildings to commence?
While I am not expecting miracles, will the Minister of State take a personal interest in the matter and, if he has not already done so, visit the school during the coming week or two to meet its authorities? As more than enough ground is available, no site is required. The board of management and parents' association are committed and many people are willing to volunteer their designing and engineering help. We should be able to bring them all together to resolve the problem. I look forward to the Minister of State's——
