Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 10 May 1994

Vol. 442 No. 5

Adjournment Debate. - Letterfrack (Galway) School.

Éamon Ó Cuív

I am glad to have an opportunity to raise this matter. There are 102 pupils in Letterfrack national school which at present has four teachers and a remedial teacher who also serves five other schools in the area. This is a three classroom school, with the fourth class being taught in the porch. The school needs an extra classroom and a general purpose room for a resource teacher and other activities. Unlike many other rural areas, the population of that part of west Connemara has been increasing since 1971 and enrolment to the school indicates that the present quota of four teachers will be retained. Therefore, extra space is required in the school.

There has been significant self-development in the area over the years and Connemara West Development, based in the old reformatory in Letterfrack, is a model project in that regard from which the forum development project, which is part of the Combat Poverty Agency, evolved. The national park attracts a large number of tourists and has contributed to the development of the economy of that part of Connemara.

Extra classrooms should be provided for Letterfrack school so that the children attending the school have adequate accommodation. Delays of up to five years in the provision of school accommodation can have adverse effects when the average primary school cycle is also eight years. Will the Minister of State look favourably on the provision of extra accommodation in the school in question?

Tá orm gur tháinig an tAire Stáit isteach anocht chun éisteacht leis an gcás atá mé a dhéanamh ar san muintir Letterfrack. Is ceanntar é i gConamara go bhfuil dul chun chinn maith déanta acu ar a son féin agus tá mé cinnte go n-éisteofar go báúil leis an achainní seo.

Mr. Browne

(Wexford): I thank Deputy Ó Cuív for raising this issue. I am glad of the opportunity afforded me by the Deputy of outlining to the House and through the Deputy to the people, teachers and board of management of Letterfrack the Department of Education's position in relation to this school.

Letterfrack national school currently has four teachers and a shared remedial teacher. Two of the appointments — the remedial teacher and the third assistant — were made in the first term of the current school year. In anticipation of the increased demand which these appointments would have on the available classroom space in the school the board of management applied for grant aid for the provision of a further classroom.

The Department's professional advisers were asked to report on the application and they recommended as an interim measure the adaptation of the existing facilities to accommodate the two extra teachers. This recommendation was accepted by the Department and grant-aid was sanctioned accordingly. I understand that this work is now satisfactorily completed.

In regard to the longer term provision, the Department decided to re-evaluate the needs of the school and sought reports from its local architectural adviser and from the local inspectorate. These reports are now to hand and are under consideration in the Department. I can inform the Deputy that a preliminary evaluation of the information received indicates that this school may not retain the third assistant teacher in the long term.

In the circumstances serious consideration will have to be given to all options available before a final decision is taken on the future accommodation for this school. However, it is hoped that it will be possible to make this decision in the near future and the Deputy will be informed of developments.

The Dáil adjourned at 8.45 p.m. until 1.00 p.m. on Wednesday, 11 May 1994.