Thank you, Sir, for giving me an opportunity to raise this matter on the Adjournment which I have endeavoured to do for a number of weeks. St. Paul's School in Brunswick Street, more popularly known as the "Brunner", is a famous school and was the original "School Around the Corner", which some Members are old enough to remember.
I received a strongly worded submission from the board of management of that school which reflects the frustration of staff in trying to cater for the needs of disadvantaged children.
The submission is based on a communication the school received from the building unit in Tullamore stating that the building of an extension it sought had not been sanctioned for the current year. I hope, by raising the matter on the Adjournment, that decision could be reversed.
The board of management expressed dismay at the apparent injustice of this decision and pointed out that permission was first granted to build the extension some 13 years ago. Since then, despite many increases in enrolment and the destruction by fire of a six classroom unit, the Department failed to make available the necessary resources for the extension. The Christian Brothers have endeavoured to provide from their own resources a woodwork room, a computer room, an art room and a counsellors' room. The board suggests that in many more advantaged areas such facilities are often funded by the Department, but in St. Paul's school, which is located in a very disadvantaged area, the Christian Brothers had to provide those facilities from their own resources. The board also pointed out that the school restored the burnt-out unit following the Department's refusal to meet various requests for assistance in the past number of years.
The board of management state that the end result of not having the required space is that art is taught in a converted kitchen, the children do mechanical drawing on a piece of plywood propped on their knees against a wooden bench, their guidence counsellor operates from a small room on loan from the primary school, the physics room is a poorly equipped converted classroom and they do not have an assembly hall, PE gym or school library. This places an intolerable disadvantage on children from a deprived area at a time when there is increased emphasis on project work.
The submission goes on to state that staff conditions are appalling, with 26 people sharing a 15 foot square room. There is one toilet for the entire staff, the principal is obliged to share an office with the school secretary and there is no parents' waiting or consultation room. The home-school liaison officer operates from an old kitchen at the back of a primary hall. The board also stated that it should not be necessary to point out that the students of St. Paul's are trying to follow the same curriculum as better endowed schools.
While the tone and wording of the board of management's submission is strong and serious, it merely reflects the frustration felt by those attempting to provide an education for children in the north inner city, where there is major unemployment and drug abuse problems. I hope the Minister has good news for me. Will she acknowledge the frustration of staff and accept that they are doing their best for the children concerned in extremely difficult circumstances? The submission outlined in great detail the lack of facilities at the school. I hope the Minister agrees to provide the funding for the extension.
