Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Mar 1993

Vol. 427 No. 6

Adjournment Debate. - Rationalisation of Kerry Second Level Schools.

Mr. O'Donoghue

I should like to thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for allowing me to raise this matter. The long running saga of the proposed rationalisation of second level schools in Caherciveen, Kenmare and Rathmore, County Kerry is now a source of deep frustration to parents, teachers and pupils living in these areas.

As long ago as 1985 Kerry vocational education committee agreed with the Department of Education that schools would be merged in the towns concerned. Community schools were to be provided at Kenmare and Rathmore and a community college in Caherciveen.

Eight years later I understand that Kenmare is only at stage 3, or developed sketch scheme stage, and Rathmore at stage 2 or outline sketch scheme. Difficulties arose with the Caherciveen project because of the insistence of the then Minister for Education, Mrs. Gemma Hussey, on building the college on a confined site. Strong opposition was expressed by parents throughout the Iveragh Peninsula to this and in March of 1990 the then Minister for Education, Deputy O'Rourke, reversed Mrs. Hussey's decision and decided to establish the college on a greenfield site. For this she earned — deservedly — the eternal gratitude of the people of south-west Kerry. In 1991 a site of 14.5 acres was purchased at the western end of Caherciveen town. In December 1991 agreement was reached between Kerry vocational education committee and four school principals regarding the schedule of accommodation. A letter was forwarded to the Department of Education outlining this agreement and seeking a meeting to discuss the schedule of accommodation. Repeated requests and representations have failed to obtain this meeting and there the matter rests.

Meanwhile many of the 1,620 pupils affected — Caherciveen 750, Kenmare 450 and Rathmore 420 — are catered for in old buildings and prefabs, some of which are more than 20 years old.

The children receive an excellent education from dedicated and committed teachers. However, the new schools and college would provide an expanded range of subjects and new alternatives to the leaving certificate. In addition there would be far greater scope for more vocational and technical subjects.

The time has come for the Department of Education to answer the legitimate concern of pupils, parents and teachers. There is a feeling that adequate information is not forthcoming in relation to the projects and that there is a considerable amount of footdragging. Accordingly, I now ask the Minister for Education to tell the people precisely what is going on. In particular I would like the Minister to instruct her officials to proceed with all possible haste with stage 3 in Kenmare, stage 2 in Rathmore and arrange for the planning meeting in relation to Caherciveen.

Obviously, when planning has been completed capital will be required and I urge the Minister to give a commitment that this will be forthcoming in the foreseeable future. Because of limited employment opportunities the areas concerned are heavily dependent on education. The availability of the new schools and college will provide new opportunities and open up new avenues.

At the very least the people are now entitled to answers.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I wish to thank the Deputy for raising this matter. He will be aware that there are three post-primary centres in Kerry and I am sure he is also aware that I met the teachers involved in the three schools to which he referred on a recent visit I paid to Kerry. Where decisions were taken to replace a number of existing smaller schools, which required new accommodation, with single school developments. Community schools are to be provided in Kenmare and Rathmore and a community college is to be provided in Caherciveen which will amalgamate the two post-primary schools in Caherciveen and one in Waterville.

In relation to architectural planning of the schools, the following is the up-to-date position: In Kenmare the single school complex, amalgamating the Holy Cross College and the vocational school, is to be developed on the existing Holy Cross College premises. The planning of the project has reached Stage 3 — the developed sketch scheme stage. Currently this stage of architectural planning which was received on 23 December 1992 is under technical examination in the Department. As an indication of the Department's commitment to this project, the planning is being undertaken under the shorter procedures. Accordingly, the next stages, prior to tender, the detail design bill of quantities will be prepared as a combined submission.

In Rathmore the single school, an amalgamation of the Presentation Secondary School and the voctional school, will be developed on the Presentation Secondary School premises. The planning of the project is also being planned in line with the shorter procedures. At present the consultants are working on a combined submission dealing with the first three stages of planning. The consultants are nearing completion of the second stage of this combined submission and will shortly begin the final part.

The Department is actively pursuing the possibility of establishing a single school management structure, as an interim measure, in advance of the provision of the building project and this aspect has been formally raised with both school managements.

In Caherciveen-Waterville the single school development involves the amalgamation of the vocational and Presentation secondry schools in Caherciveen and the vocational school in Waterville. The Christian Brothers school in Caherciveen, which was originally a party to the community school agreement, closed in June 1992.

It was originally intended that the college would be developed on the existing Presentation secondary school premises. However, in 1990, following a review of the case the then Minister, Deputy Mary O'Rourke, decided that the preferable course to adopt would be to erect the new college on a greenfield site. The vocational education committee has purchased a site for the college and a schedule of accommodation has been prepared and agreed for the college.

The inclusion of these projects in the Department's building programme in due course will be considered in the context of educational planning criteria and in the light of available resources and other commitments and resources.