Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 November 2023
68. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Education the status of her Department’s plans to develop a new school campus for a school (details supplied); and the extent of engagement she has had with stakeholders regarding the campus. [52513/23]
View answerI also wish to send my solidarity to the school community in the north inner city of Dublin. The events of last Thursday, where three children and the teacher were so viciously attacked, have gone to the heart of so many people around the country. We all want to send our solidarity and our best wishes to everyone in that community who suffered so much as a consequence of these events. I wish a speedy recovery to those who were the victims of the attack and to the wider school community that has suffered such trauma as a consequence of what happened.
As it happens, this morning I am raising another Scoil Mhuire, in Carrick-on-Shannon. I would like to hear the Minister's position on the development of a new campus for the school. There is a need to get this built as quickly as possible, and I would like to hear about the extent of the engagement the Minister and her Department have had with the staff and management of the school.
Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €3.5 billion in our schools, involving the completion of more than 690 school building projects, and with construction under way at approximately 300 other projects. School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of in excess of €1.2 billion. We also have 200 modular accommodation projects very well advanced for delivery or at the construction stage. This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities.
I confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application for a new school building from the school authority in question. The school also made an application under the additional school accommodation, ASA, scheme. The purpose of this scheme is to ensure essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils in the area and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation or at other nearby schools.
As the Deputy may be aware, I met with the school authorities in relation to their ASA application in June 2021. Following this meeting, I directed an official from my planning and building unit's professional and technical section to visit the school. This technical assessment identified certain complexities with the existing school properties, including challenges with access and the topography of the school's two sites.
My Department is currently considering the optimum way forward for the school in question following this technical report. Given the identified complexities with the existing school properties, there is a particular challenge in identifying a solution to the school’s accommodation needs that will support the continued effective operation of the school while presenting a sustainable solution to meet the primary school place needs in the area in the longer term. Demographic trends and capacity at other schools in the area form part of this consideration.
In the first instance, my Department has a focus on any school accommodation provision that may be required in the short to medium term and, in that context, modular accommodation to facilitate two additional classrooms was approved for the school in question in 2022.
I understand that a great deal of investment is going into schools in different areas. This school, however, has not benefited from much of this investment. As the Minister said, this school property is split into two campuses along the Dublin Road. It is on a very inappropriate site for a modern school building that has more than 500 pupils, and this figure is growing. The answer everyone sees from all aspects of this problem, when they look at the situation, is to build a new school on a greenfield site somewhere else. The current site would then become available for housing or other projects in the town. This is the answer to this situation. It must be recognised and done as fast as possible.
I know the Minister met with representatives of the school and that this assessment was carried out. The technical report pointed out where there was asbestos and leaks in the roof. The classroom sizes are tiny for the number of pupils the school is trying to deal with. The teachers and the other school staff are under great stress. We have a situation where there is talk of new modular buildings being constructed, which is welcome, but these are being built on the places where children need to play. This area is now being taken up as well. We must recognise that patching this situation on an ongoing basis is not going to work. There needs to be a plan to build a new school in the town as quickly as possible.
I acknowledge the Deputy's personal engagement on this topic. I acknowledge the public representatives in the area, who have been really active in this space. As the Deputy is aware, following the technical assessment, it is evident there are complexities with the existing school properties. There is a particular challenge to identifying a solution to the school's accommodation needs that will support the effective operation of the school and present a sustainable solution in the long term.
The main focus of the Department’s capital funding over the past decade and for the coming period is on the provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics and children with special education needs. The Department is required to manage the overall school building programme so that we target and prioritise areas under greatest pressure for additional school places. This reflects our fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of a school place for every child.
The overall position with regard to potential modernisation and replacement of existing infrastructure will be kept under review. For the Deputy's information, the Department has sought a meeting with the school patron to discuss the way forward and a future for this school. The request for this meeting has been lodged with the school patron.
I thank the Minister. It is welcome this has happened. I and Deputy Clarke met with the school board and management a few months ago in regard to this issue. There is a real sense of having been ten years waiting for something to happen and so little progress having been made. If there is going to be a meeting with the patrons, that will be very welcome. I think the local authority has a role to play here as well and would be very open to assisting in any way it can. Sites and land are available on the edge of the town that would be suitable and could be worked into that programme. If a little bit of imagination were to be used, answers could be found that could deliver for everyone and that would work out for everyone, including the patrons, the owner of the present sites, the local authority, which needs land to build houses on, and especially the pupils and the parents. Every morning, there are hundreds of cars lining up along a narrow road trying to let children off to go to school. It is totally inappropriate in the climate we are in. It must also be remembered that many of the children coming to the school are from diverse backgrounds. The children going to that school now come from families from all over the world. We must see a proper school in place as soon as possible.
The Deputy is right. We operate school planning areas. There are 314 of them in the country, and we also have a GIS system that has particular information from the CSO. This is for future planning. We also engage with the local authority, and the Deputy is right that it will be cognisant of where there are existing or, more importantly, where there will be future housing developments. There is strong engagement there.
The indications from the studies of the Carrick-on-Shannon school planning area are that enrolments peaked in 2022, at more than 1,193 pupils. This figure is projected to fall to 1,030 by 2028. Notwithstanding this, I recognise the case being made and the work the school does every single day. I think the next engagement with the patron will be an important one as we seek to find a way forward.
Does the Minister have a date for that?
I just know the request has been lodged with the patron, but I imagine it will be happening fairly speedily.
I thank the Minister.
