I thank the Chair for allowing me to raise the issue of the appalling conditions in Ardfinnan national school. I have a personal interest in this school as it is in my parish. It caters for 303 students in totally inadequate, unsuitable and depressing circumstances. The nine teachers and the school principal try to cope with a lack of sufficient accommodation, poor quality classrooms and overcrowding in the halls and play area. They do not have a general purpose room, a staff room or indeed an adequate principal's office. With the exception of two classes of 34 students, all other classes have in excess of 40 pupils. For the past ten years efforts have been made to have an extension built onto the school. Indeed at various times the extension was approved by the Department of Education, sketch plans were drawn up, then changed and withdrawn. Today, ten years later and after five deputations to various Ministers for Education Ardfinnan school has not had the new extension and the project is still at stage one, the sketch drawing of the plans.
Last week I visited the school to view their circumstances. I was appalled at what I saw. In the two pre-fabs the children in second and third class had to jump from the hall into the classroom so big was the hole that was caused by flooding and decay over the years. The fact that the pupils did not break a leg or indeed any limb is a tribute to the vigilance of the teachers. The walls of the pre-fabs also have big holes and cracks due to both poor quality materials and decay. In the building dating from 1911, all the walls are black and grey due to severe dampness. The play area was crowded. It was never intended that it would have to cope with the number of children attending the school. They have no sheltered area or green space.
On that occasion I met the principal on the corridor and he was doing his work on the window sill. His office if it could indeed be called such, was occupied by a visiting psychologist. Indeed if any visitor comes to the school it means that the principal must retire to the corridor and do his work on the window sill. The roof of the old building is in a serious condition as I have outlined. The school is unfit, unsuitable and totally inadequate. Something has to be done urgently about the conditions of the school.
Before the Minister replies I want to tell him that we are tired of hearing about sketch plans about to be finalised. We are weary of hearing of designs that have to be changed. The board of management and the local community have the necessary local financial contribution in the bank for almost eight years. I urge the Minister to give Ardfinnan school the priority it deserves and to allow the teachers and pupils in Ardfinnan to work in an environment that is conductive to progressive education.
