The House will now hear two minute statements on matters appropriate to the Minister for Education and the Minister for Defence. I propose to call on the Deputies who have been selected in the following order: Deputy Dukes, Deputy Lowry, Deputy Flanagan, Deputy Owen and Deputy Taylor-Quinn. Each Deputy has two minutes.
Adjournment Debate. - Education and Defence Matters.
Saint Joseph's Academy in Kildare which is run by the De La Salle Brothers was given sanction for an extension some years ago. While that extension was under construction the old building was burned down in an arson attack. That necessarily interfered with work on the extension but a formula was agreed with the Department of Education so that work could continue on the extension and, indeed, be accelerated while replacement of the old building went ahead.
At the end of the work, late in 1986, the past pupils' union which ran the project claimed an extra payment of £79,000 under the price variation clause in the contract. The Department of Education included an amount of £69,000 in their final payment. The past pupils' union contested this and there was lengthy correspondence with the Department of Education. The Department queried every conceivable aspect of the work carried out and of the extra work necessitated by the combination of work on the extension and on the replacement of the original building. Indeed, the Department even asked some inconceivable questions notwithstanding the fact that the principal contractors involved were highly reputable and accounted fully for their sub-contractors. At no stage did the Department indicate that they had any reason to doubt any aspect of the information provided. The Department simply reduced the amounts allowed for the work in a totally arbitrary manner.
The matter came to my attention after some frustration on the part of the people running the project, and I met the Minister on the matter on 19 February 1990. On that occasion the Minister told me, very graciously, that she would arrange for the balance of £10,000 to be paid. She repeated that undertaking in a letter to me of 11 June 1990, in the course of which she said: "I am again pleased to confirm that these additional moneys will be paid by my Department very soon." Notwithstanding the Minister's clear and unequivocal undertaking — for which I thank her — the Department still have not made the payment. It is clear that that payment should be made now. It is unacceptable that a voluntary group who have devoted a great deal of time and energy to bringing an unexpectedly complicated project to a successful conclusion, should be treated in such a cavalier fashion by the Department of Education in spite of the Minister's clearly expressed agreement on two occasions to make the extra payment required.
I thank Deputy Dukes for raising this matter. As the Deputy said I met him, and was glad to do so, and freely committed myself to the payment of the extra money which was almost £11,000. Since that time the Department have written to the school authorities on several occasions, the last being November 1990, pointing out that moneys are still owing on foot of the account. The Department's senior quantity surveyor has been inquiring into the matter. The information given on 10 July is not enough. If they reply to that letter I will see to it that the moneys are paid. Like the Deputy I feel aggrieved that it had to reach this point. It is neither a professional or proper way for a small amount of money to be spoken of and, obviously, the money was put to good use. I ask the school authorities, through the Deputy, to reply to the letter of 9 November. I repeat my commitment to pay it and I want to do so.
I wish to support the application for the provision of a remedial teacher at Holy Cross national school in my native parish. As Department records will show there is a school population of 224 pupils. The divisional inspectors supported the obvious belief that remedial services should be provided for this school and sought unsuccessfully, for such provision last year.
The board of management and general parent body are extremely concerned that the school continues to be disadvantaged in this extremely important area of education. It is especially frustrating for teachers who see schools in close proximity with more favourable pupil-teacher ratios having access to the full-time and part-time services of a remedial teacher. The present pupil-teacher ratio in this school is 32:1 which is above what is educationally approved and the already unsatisfactory high national average.
The board of management have been restraining and tolerant regarding the disadvantaged but in the present climate of concern towards improving primary education they trust that the application will be favourably received by the Minister.
I would like to make some brief points to highlight the validity of the case. The 32:1 pupil-teacher ratio places a child with learning difficulties at a further disadvantage, because the individual attention required cannot be provided by the class teacher. Indeed, some teachers have up to 37 pupils in their class.
The psychological department of the South-Eastern Health Board have urgently recommended remedial teaching for many of the pupils referred to them from the school. A considerable number of pupils in the school are in need of and would benefit from the services of a remedial teacher. In fact, as many as 40 children have been identified.
Accommodation and facilities are already in place at the school for such a service. I am proud to have been involved during the past six years in ensuring that considerable public money has been spent in providing five new classrooms, a GP room and other amenities to bring the school to its present very high standard. Local parents' committees have also raised and spent in excess of £25,000 to provide play space, playing field, ball courts and generally landscaping the grounds. This investment, and the local enthusiasm of parents for our national school, should be acknowledged by providing this urgently needed service even if it has to be shared with schools in the adjoining area or with the Ursuline Convent in Thurles.
I thank Deputy Lowry for bringing this matter to the floor of the House. It is commendable that he seeks to support his local school; we would all be of the same mind. He made the point that the inspector has approved of the provision of a remedial teacher; in fact the inspectors have approved 1,000 remedial teachers throughout the country and 80 have been provided for. This is the first time in six years there has been such a large tranche of remedial teachers and there are 1,000 applications. The inspectors have made their reports. They are now with the Department and they will be arranged in order of priority. These are based on professional reports. It has nothing to do with any political representation. The remedial teachers are appointed on the basis of priority of need. One would wish to appoint 1,000, but we at least have made a start this year. The Deputy's representations and the inspectors' report are being looked at. We will more and more take the course of shared remedial teachers so that pupils in adjoining schools can be helped if only in a small way.
The community school at Mountmellick, County Laois, has an excellent facility thanks in many respects to the Minister. The school has three science labs, a superb gymnasium and a study hall of some repute. It is a school with a proud history and it has the potential to be one of the finest educational establishments in the midlands. However, there are a number of matters upon which I base my grievance. Some further funds need to be applied here as a matter of urgency.
Some of the building is in very poor repair and will not be able to withstand another winter. There is no heating system in the school. The Minister is in danger of being seen as wasting public funds by not addressing the immediate problem. Significant sums have been spent on consultants' reports, planning and so on, but until refurbishment takes place, the money already spent will be seen to have been wasted.
Would the Minister consider meeting parents' representatives who wish to be informed of the situation, as is their right? I trust the Minister will give final sanction for the works, but I cannot overstate the fine facilities available in Mountmellick for the children of the North Laois area. A small further cash injection would solve the problem.
I know of the Deputy's interest in this fine school. The problem is that further work is needed. I met a deputation before Easter. The roof work, and the electrical and heating work are the main outstanding works to be completed. The safety and modicum of comfort works will cost £900,000. We have sent officials to examine the school and we are preparing costings. Obviously the urgent work will have to be done and we will have to prepare a programme of works. Deputy Liam Hyland has also asked if I will meet a group of parents. Yes, I will.
Paul is a young 16 year old physically handicapped student in Malahide community school, suffering from cerebral palsy. He is hoping to sit his intermediate certificate in two weeks' time but he has not yet received in writing any humane decision from the Department as to how he will do his papers. I understand that the Department indicated by telephone that he can use a tape recorder. The application for the use of a scribe was made by his school and the parents as far back as November 1990. It is a disgrace that almost two weeks before the exam there is still no sensitive and humane decision from the Department. Full medical certificates and psychological reports have recommended the use of a scribe, somebody who would write his answers during the exam. Along with a number of other handicaps he has very bad hand misfunctioning. He is a bright, above average student mainly studying honours subjects. It would be most damaging to him if he was not given the opportunity to do a good intermediate certificate and to stay on to do his leaving certificate. Paul is one of six handicapped children in Malahide community school, five of whom, including Paul, are wheelchair bound. They are fully integrated into the school, which incidentally does not receive any recognition for having six handicapped students. Will the Minister cut through the bureaucratic red tape and give this young man the opportunity to do well in his intermediate certificate by assigning him a scribe so that he can participate fully in doing the intermediate certificate, and reach his full potential, considering the many handicaps he must live with in the life ahead.
I thank Deputy Owen for highlighting this matter and of course, Paul must have special consideration. A young person with the courage and optimism to even enter such an exam is marvellous. I congratulate the school that he is to take honours subjects. I also congratulate his parents who nurtured him. It must have seemed to them and to him at times that they were working against insuperable odds. I compliment the young man who has so much courage. It is a salutary lesson to us all.
The psychological services in the Department have been busy on this and within the next few days the school authorities will be told of the arrangements. I am a little worried about the ethics of talking about this here when the people in loco parentis have not yet been told of the special arrangements for this exam. I am inhibited in talking about a particular child.
I realise that.
I will follow up the arrangements which I have mentioned to make sure they are the available.
He has no time to practice on a tape-recorder now. It would really be impracticable.
I will follow it up, but I am slightly worried about confidentiality in relation to matters such as this.
Army pensions are paid on a monthly basis. Army pensions are meagre but their payment on a monthly basis makes it difficult for many pensioners to manage. In addition there is the added security factor as many of them keep their money at home. Because of increasing crime many pensioners are apprehensive when they are paid. Pensioners in receipt of Army pensions wish the payment to be made fortnightly. I appeal to the Minister to consider this matter in view of the difficulties this raises for pensioners. Old people deserve special consideration and I ask the Minister and his Department to examine this matter.
Under present arrangements, all Defence Forces pensions are paid on a monthly basis. This arrangement is of very long standing and is in line with the practice in other areas of the public service. Moreover, the arrangement — monthly payment — is provided for by Statutory Instrument in the Defence Force pensions schemes in the case of former members of the Defence Forces.
There are 13 categories of pension paid by my Department on a monthly basis including in all some 14,000 pensioners. Leaving aside considerations of cost, which would be substantial, the issue of pensions on a fortnightly basis would not be feasible given the existing staffing and technological resources available in my Department and in the Paymaster-General's Office, through which office the pensions payable orders are processed.
Fortnightly payment would involve a doubling in the volume of payment transactions and, apart from extra computer capacity, would require extra staffing resources, resources which are not available at present.
In any event, the question of issuing Defence Forces' pensions on a fortnightly basis could only be considered in the context of such a development in regard to other public service pensions generally. I am sure that is a situation the Deputy would understand fully. It is a matter that can be considered and will be considered on an on-going basis.
The Dáil adjourned at 5.40 p.m. until 10.30 on Friday, 24 May 1991.