Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 28 Oct 1993

Vol. 435 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Sallins (Kildare) School.

Mr. Durkan

I propose to share my time with Deputy Seán Power. First I want to thank him for affording me the opportunity of raising this matter on the Adjournment of the House and to point out that this is an issue which has been before successive Ministers for Education since 1989 when approval was given by the then Minister for an extension to Hewetson School in County Kildare.

The situation has become progressively worse and the school authorities have been anxiously attempting, in the past two years, to achieve a successful and satisfactory conclusion. I am glad the Minister is here tonight to reply to the debate and I hope she will give a positive response.

The community in question is small. It is not a strident or aggressive community and depends entirely on the goodwill of the Minister to respond in terms of the provision for the Estimates in the current year. It is imperative that the Minister recognise the need to make provision for that extension in the current year, thereby providing for future generations in the school. If that is not done the confidence of the people in public representatives' ability to deliver will be badly shaken. I hope the Minister will be able to give us some good news.

Mr. Power

I thank Deputy Durkan for giving me some of his time here. I agree with the Deputy's statements about the school. I live close to the school and am familar with it. Having visited the school and knowing the people who are teaching in it and those who are sending their children to it, I know that pupils and teachers are trying to operate under very difficult conditions which would not be tolerated in many other areas.

The people have presented their case in a very mannerly way and have not been very vocal. They have been led up the garden path by successive Ministers. Promises were made and they thought that the extension would have been built a long time ago. We are not talking about a large amount of money to put this situation right. I appeal to the Minister to provide the necessary funds in this year's Estimates to allow this extension to go ahead as quickly as possible.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I am glad the Deputy has given me the opportunity of outlining my Department's intentions in relation to the proposed extension to Hewetson national school, Sallins, County Kildare.

I am aware of the anxiety of the school authorities in relation to the delay in providing an extension at the school. The school has 84 pupils and three teachers, accommodated in three classrooms in a very old building which also includes a private residence. The school and residence are in the one building. I accept fully that the situation is not satisfactory and that the provision of an extension and associated improvements is fully warranted and is now an urgent matter.

I am aware that the school authorities are concerned at the long delay in dealing with the case. However, many of the earlier delays were caused by prolonged and protracted negotiations and the reluctance of the school authorities to have the school vested. The vesting problem was somewhat resolved in 1989 and architectural planning could then commence.

The project involves an extension of one classroom, the conversion of an existing small classroom to a library/medical/staffroom and extensive works to the existing school and grounds.

Planning has now reached an advanced stage and full drawings will be completed by end December 1993, after which tenders can be invited. It was not possible to include the project in the 1993 primary schools' capital programme because of other demands which were deemed to be of a higher priority and therefore had to take precedence. The project will continue to be considered for inclusion in the programme in the light of available resources and other commitments and priorities. It is my intention to progress the extension and refurbishment of Hewetson national school as early as possible, bearing in mind the financial resources available for the building of national schools and other demands on the budget.