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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 26 Apr 1956

Vol. 156 No. 8

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork School Overcrowding.

asked the Minister for Education whether he is aware that there is serious overcrowding at May-field school, Cork, and that during wet weather rain comes through the roof on to the desks, and, if so, if he will expedite the building of the proposed new school.

I am aware that Angel Guardian's national school in the Mayfield area of Cork City, is overcrowded, but not seriously so, as the erection of an additional temporary classroom recently alleviated conditions considerably and there is now a separate classroom available for each of the teachers on the staff.

I am not aware that during wet weather rain comes through the roof of the school. I am, however, arranging that the Commissioners of Public Works will have the premises inspected with a view to ascertaining the works which may be required to keep the premises in a serviceable condition, so that steps may be taken to have them carried out.

It is considered that a new school for senior girls and infant boys and girls to serve the needs of the area should be erected on a new site and that the present school should be utilised for the accommodation of senior boys for some years longer. The reverend mother has offered a site for the proposed new building and a report as to its suitability is awaited from the Commissioners of Public Works. Everything possible will be done by my Department to expedite the preliminary arrangements for the building of the proposed new school.

Is the Minister aware that complaints about the school have been made for a long number of years and that, in spite of all the promises, no attempt has been made at all to build a suitable school for the children in that area? The school is in a shocking condition.

Is the Minister also aware that the reverend manager of the school in question has drawn up most praiseworthy plans for the future school building? Will he assure us that those plans will be brought to efficient fruition as speedily as possible?

I do not know what Deputy McGrath means by saying that no attempt has been made to do anything about the matter. As far as I know, in quite a number of directions, all kinds of people have been working terribly hard to see that proper school accommodation is provided there. Those people include, on the one hand, the reverend manager, and on the other hand, the Department. The main difficulty that arises is site accommodation and planning for an area such as this in an important state of development.

Is the Minister aware that about 12 years ago the present manager's predecessor purchased a site for this school?

I am not exactly aware of that, but I am aware that there is a very long history behind it. If we could have solved all the school building problems with which we were faced 12 years ago, an enormous amount of arrears would have been made up I should like the Deputy to say, at any particular time and in any way he likes, what definitely has been left undone as far as the Department is concerned? I take it other people can answer for themselves; but as far as the Department is concerned, I should like to know is there anything that the Minister for Education or the Department can do, or that has been left undone at any point? If the Deputy wants to go back over the past 12 years, very well, let him do so; but I assure the Deputy that the matter has received very active consideration and active attention so long as I have had any connection with the Department, and a very considerable amount of assistance has been given to remedy the urgent defects in that area.

Further arising out of the Minister's reply, is the Minister not aware that schools have been built in other areas in Cork City which were not under consideration——

That is a separate question.

——and that this area seems to have been neglected by somebody?

I am aware that at nearly every point of the compass in Cork City very important and very large school development has taken place in a most praiseworthy and effective way. There is not one single point of the compass where difficulties were not encountered but quite a large number of these difficulties have been successfully overcome and the schools programme in Cork is being developed in a very splendid and very effective way. In the Mayfield district, as the Deputy very well knows, there are also difficulties, and difficulties of an even more complicated kind than there have been in other areas. But the same attention and insistence on facing up to these problems is being given in that area as has been given in the other areas where, although certain schools were faced with difficulties, very considerable progress has been made.

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