asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that Lissivigeen national school, Killarney, was built in 1860 to accommodate 72 pupils; that there are now 148 children on the rolls; that the school was originally a two teacher school and is now overcrowded; that sanitary arrangements are primitive as there is no water or sewerage thus giving rise to danger to the health of the children; and that his Department promised to build a new school as far back as 1945; if he will state the present position on the matter; and when it is proposed to provide a new school.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Killarney School.
55.
I am aware that Lissivigeen national school, Killarney is in need of replacement. My Department has sanctioned a grant towards the cost of a new school and the arrangements for its erection are well in hands. I am not yet in a position, however, to say when tenders for the new building can be invited.
Is the Minister aware that there is great urgency in this matter because over the past two years 64 new pupils have been turned away from that school? It is very old; in fact, it is falling down. It was built in 1860. Could the Minister give us some indication so that the people may know roughly when the school will be available?
The Deputy may be aware that there were difficulties in the acquisition of a suitable site in the case of both the present and the former managers. These difficulties apparently delayed the preparation of plans for a considerable time. Since 1954, there has been expenditure on this school in order to make it more comfortable. From the information supplied here, I am aware that the school is very overcrowded but I could not at this stage give the Deputy any useful estimate as to when the new school will be provided.
Does the Minister agree that these primitive conditions prevail in this school? Is it not a disgrace if it is true? In view of the fact that there has been a reduction of one-third of a million in capital expenditure on education——
The Deputy should not be so impressed with the terminology of other Deputies' questions.
The Minister would not agree then with the statement that the sanitary arrangements are primitive and there is no water or sewerage?
I told Deputy Connor certain works had been carried out already to render the school more useful for its purpose until such time as a new school can be provided.
It says in the question that the sanitary arrangements are primitive as there is no water or sewerage, thus giving rise to danger to the health of the children.
There is no water. That is one of the reasons why the Department is anxious to get an adequate site on which to erect a new school. In the meantime, because of the unsatisfactory sanitary accommodation, they have provided temporary arrangements by way of dry latrines, which, I understand, are reasonably satisfactory from a health point of view.
Dry latrines in this day and age. It is a positive disgrace.
Mr. Connor rose.
Has the Deputy a question to ask?
It is a question. I attended a meeting about three weeks ago and there were no such things as sanitary arrangements there: it is the old system.
That is not a question.
That is not a question.
A Deputy
It is a fact, anyway.