Brian Stanley
Question:10. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to advance the building project for a school (details supplied). [18536/20]
View answerThursday, 30 July 2020
Questions (10)
Oral answers (6 contributions)
I ask about the new school for Scoil Íosagáin in Portarlington, County Laois, which takes in a significant catchment area of north Laois and east Offaly and what the progress has been made with that?
I thank the Deputy for raising this question. This major building work is included in my Department’s construction programme which is being delivered under the national development plan. The project is currently at stage 1 of architectural planning which entails preliminary design of site and location suitability and initial sketch scheme.
A review in 2019 of the demand for post-primary provision in the area resulted in an increase in the schedule of accommodation to cater for up to 1,300 pupils. My Department met with the school and the increase was accepted by the school. Initially, it had been anticipated that this project would be delivered in the form of an extension and refurbishment. However, through ongoing engagement with the school, its board of management and trustees, the option of a new build is currently being explored by my Department. The design team has been instructed to provide an initial sketch scheme for a 1,300-pupil school and submit it to my Department for review. The design team is currently finalising its report for presentation to the school and the Department. Upon review, my Department will then be in contact with the board of management with regard to the further progression of the project.
I thank the Minister for her reply and I welcome the fact that she has confirmed that the option of a new building is being explored. This is an issue upon which I and my colleague, Deputy Patricia Ryan, who also covers that area, receive many representations from parents. If one looks at that school, it has come from the amalgamation of Scoil Mhuire and the Christian Brothers school in the late 1990s and it opened in August 2001. St. John’s vocational school joined it at that stage, so it is an amalgamation of three schools. There are many prefabs in the school. Portarlington is a commuter town which has grown and the school currently only has a capacity for 750 students. There is serious overcrowding which has caused many problems and this is a very difficult operation to carry out. There is an enrolment of more than 1,003 at the moment. It is good to hear the Minister mention that the figure of 1,300 is being considered as being required. It is disappointing to hear that it is stuck at stage 1 within the school building programme which is very early stages as the Minister and I know.
I appreciate the points made by the Deputy about the difficulties on the ground. I should point out that the Department has made interim accommodation available, initially in November 2018 and then in February 2019, to take account of the growing school population. The approved provision comprises two science laboratories, a woodwork room, a prep room and four general classrooms.
There is acknowledgement that there is a requirement for a school to accommodate 1,300 pupils and I confirm again that the design team has been instructed to provide an initial sketch scheme for that. It is being submitted to the Department for review. I assure the Deputy we will continue to work on that as a priority.
I thank the Minister for the reply. It is good that it has been accepted that a school population of 1,300 must be catered for. I accept that interim accommodation has been provided but it is very cramped. There are problems in how the school must operate, and even before the onset of Covid-19, it had to operate a one-way system. Covid-19 has brought new pressure and the Minister announced a capital programme for internal works in schools.
The Minister should try to prioritise this school within the national development plan and school building programme. It is on the commuter line and Portarlington is a commuter town taking in a large area of east Offaly and north-west Laois. The area's population has grown by thousands, with the town's population by itself going from 3,500 to almost 8,000 when we take just its urban area. That is without taking in the catchment area.
Parents are raising this matter consistently with us and it really is a pressure point in the area for second level education. The Covid-19 pandemic has put the improvements that need to be made under big lights. I ask the Minister to try to expedite these improvements, as sometimes these programmes can get bogged down in the first or second stage for years on end. We need to move on this project in the capital programme.
I thank the Deputy and absolutely appreciate the very genuine concern that he has about moving forward this project for the school. He mentioned the minor works grant that is also available and there is an opportunity for schools to act within the Covid-19 provisions. I appreciate that because of its location and the accommodation demands of a school of 1,300 pupils, this should be expedited. My Department and I will take on board all the points raised by the Deputy and I thank him for doing so.
Question No. 11 replied to with Written Answers.