Paul McAuliffe
Question:72. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education for an update on the repair of the roof and rain shelters at a school (details supplied), which was most recently at pre-tender report stage. [6304/24]
View answerTuesday, 13 February 2024
Questions (72)
Oral answers (8 contributions)
I recently had the pleasure of attending St. Joseph's School in Finglas west with the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, for an active school project. There was a fantastic atmosphere and a great presentation was put on by the school. However, I have to say that I was struck by some of the building issues the school has. The school has engaged with me about the issues it has with the roof, with some of the shelters in the yard and with what the council would call the public domain or the public realm within the schoolyard. I wonder if the Minister could update me on the school's request for funding to repair the buildings.
Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €4.3 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 750 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 34 new school buildings. Projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2 billion. This is a record level of investment in our schools which highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities. The key drivers of capital investment in the schools sector include demographic growth, particularly at post-primary level; increased demand for special educational needs provision; alignment of school place provision with new housing development; and climate action objectives, including deep energy retrofit.
The project raised by the Deputy relates to a summer works scheme application. The purpose of the summer works scheme is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis and, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The summer works scheme operates on a multi-annual basis for categories of works such as roof works, window replacement, mechanical and electrical works and external works.
The Department has committed in excess of €125 million in funding for summer works projects during 2022 and 2023. I can advise that the school in question submitted its pre-tender report to the Department’s planning and building unit and this was reviewed in detail by members of the summer works and professional and technical teams. A number of recommendations were made by the professional and technical team in respect of the proposed scope of works to ensure the project will comply with the Department’s technical guidance documents when complete. The Department requested that these recommendations be included by the design team in the project scope, and requested that a revised pre-tender report be submitted. The recommendations were notified to the school by email on 28 September 2023. The school advised that the board of management would discuss the recommendations with the appointed design team and revert to the Department as soon as practicable. Department officials remain available to assist the school authority in delivering a successful project and await that information from the school. The Department is leading an ambitious sustainability agenda and has progressed a wide array of measures to improve the overall sustainability of our school buildings.
I welcome the availability of the Department to assist the school on this matter. I note the issues regarding the pre-tender report. The school is quite frustrated that the report has delayed things. I know there is some difficulty in trying to secure the additional requirements. There is a bigger issue here. If we had a DEIS plus programme, this would be a school that needed it. The Minister provided access control gates for the school last year. She did so because of the significant level of antisocial behaviour that is happening in the area. The council and other local representatives are highly engaged with the school to try to address this ageing and large campus, which unfortunately has a small number of students, meaning that the capitation grant goes nowhere near the management costs. There is a long-term issue here with how we manage the school building and invest in it. I accept that the summer works scheme needs to be brought to a conclusion and I thank the Minister for her support. There are two other questions later on with regard to Holy Spirit school and Gaelscoil Uí Earcáin. I might follow those up with the Minister directly afterwards.
I acknowledge the excellent work that happens in that school every day, the excellent school leadership team and, equally, the entire staff and indeed the students themselves. The Department has engaged directly with the principal here. The Department obviously wants to get this over the line. We are happy to engage on a one-to-one basis with schools where they might have a difficulty. In principle, we recognise the importance of this work. We are obliged to have everything as it should be from a technical point of view. If a school is having difficulty with supplying information, we are happy to work with it directly. We have intervened with the principal directly on this. I hope that whatever issues are there can be surmounted in the shortest timeframe possible. There is an absolute willingness on our part to work directly with the school.
I appreciate the Minister's reply. As I say, there is a broader issue not just on this site but across north Dublin. We have schools that were perhaps built when we had much larger and younger populations in certain areas. Unfortunately, they have seen a reduction over time. They are large campuses. They are not new school buildings. They are often 50 or 60 years old. We need a broader policy to analyse those and to see how we can get the best value for money for investment in them. They also have great community value, for example. Gaelscoil Uí Earcáin, which I referred to, is getting a fantastic new school building. It is making facilities available to the community and locating facilities within the design for that. That strikes to the broader point that these are huge assets. They might have slightly reduced numbers but they still need the same building maintenance and management. I would say the same about Holy Spirit girls school, which has a fantastic new extension. Work is going on. I have education queries on both those applications but they are not for the Dáil. They are examples of old buildings being invested in. I would like to see us do more of that across north Dublin.
Before the Minister comes back, Deputy Ó Murchú wants to speak briefly.
Very briefly, as I am renowned for. If we are talking about the schools building programme, it has been brought to my attention - I have spoken to the Minister about this previously - that at times there can be issues with communication. Some of that is that the schools would say the power they had previously or their involvement was greater with regard to running these jobs. An example that was given to me today was Scoil Mhuire na nGael. When a yard was being finished and a stone finish was being put in for aesthetics, the school pointed out straight away that this would not work. It was told that was the way it was. Now it is being dealt with and looked at. There will be a cost. One can imagine the particular issue with regard to health and safety and so on. We just have to find a better way of doing this.
I am not aware of the details of the individual school that Deputy Ó Murchú has raised, but I will look at that. I am aware of the very specific case that has been raised by Deputy McAuliffe. It is an excellent example of the willingness of the Department to engage on a direct basis with schools. Over the last number of years, in the lifetime of this Government, over €4.2 billion has been provided for school buildings, whether brand new, additional accommodation or whatever, or to speak to Deputy McAuliffe's point, for deep energy retrofit which will re-energise and reinvigorate an old building and give it a new lease of life, which is important. It would be a shame not to be able to utilise buildings to their maximum because of their age. If we can preserve a building, we will do that. On the specific case that was raised earlier, I can clearly point to examples of where the Department engaged directly with the principal or the patron, or whoever might be the contact person, to get over any difficulties or issues that they might have to bring a project to fruition. At the end of the day, there are standards that must be applied and requirements that must be fulfilled, but the Department will work with the school to ensure that is the case.
Question No. 73 taken with Written Answers.