School Accommodation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 September 2014

Tuesday, 23 September 2014

Questions (463)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

463. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the provision of a new school in Naas, County Kildare; if her attention has been drawn to the fact a brand new school is lying empty in Craddockstown; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that the Education and Training Board has a primary school with 220 children in prefabs, of which 30 are located in the adjacent Gaelscoil as there is no room for them at the moment; if her attention has also been drawn to the fact that the prefabs are nine years old and have many leaks and problems with the lighting and electrics, and also have black mould problems and rats; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that there are only two toilets to serve 100 children; the reason children have not been moved to the new school; the amount of money that was spent on these prefabs in the past nine years and the company from which they were leased; and her plans to rectify this. [35804/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy is aware, my Department's over-riding objective is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing pupil numbers. This can necessitate the use of temporary accommodation, as in the case of this school, until my Department is in a position to provide a permanent building. My Department will continue to liaise with the school authorities regarding their long term accommodation needs. The school opened in 2010 and is currently accommodated in temporary accommodation which is relatively new. It would be expected that with standard maintenance, the accommodation would remain in good condition for a considerable period of time. This accommodation was installed in 2008/2009 at a cost of €1.68 million and was used for a short period by another school. These prefabs are not leased. Following an application from the school management, my Department recently approved funding for repairs to the temporary accommodation which was damaged during the storms earlier this year under the Emergency Works Scheme. It is expected that this funding will address the matters raised by the school. The School Authority was also sanctioned funding for two additional prefabricated units to cater for increased enrolments. The pupils temporarily located in the gaelscoil will move to this accommodation when installed in the coming weeks. As a contract to provide for the improved/additional accommodation has not been awarded, the amount of funding provided is commercially sensitive and cannot be disclosed at this point. It is intended that the new school building in Craddockstown will accommodate the planned new post-primary school for Naas in its start-up years. This school is due to commence operation in 2015 under the Patronage of the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). KWETB will be using the building in the intervening period for other educational services.