I thank the Minister for coming in for this debate. On 23 February 1996, a traffic survey was conducted outside Allen national school between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and it revealed that 1,506 vehicles passed the school. That might not be earth shattering, but the traffic travelled through the school which paints a different picture. A regional road divides Allen national school. The junior classes are one side and the rest on the other. The school is situated close to a Roadstone quarry which creates enormous traffic problems as well as health problems for the children as they journey to and from school.
In the late 1970s the case for a new school was first put by the people of Allen. There were certain difficulties in the early stages and successive Ministers refused to provide the finances to allow the school to go ahead. There were planning permission problems also which were overcome recently. At a recent meeting with the Minister the delegation told her about the difficulties it had, particularly with planning permission. Planning permission has now been granted and parents, pupils and teachers want the Minister to give the green light for the provision of the school. There are serious health and safety problems for the children because of the school's location and the accommodation in the school. The area medical officer's report on the school raised a number of concerns.
It is not ideal that the junior school should be located on the opposite side of the road to the senior school. Junior schoolchildren have no shelter on wet days and no supply of drinking water which is essential for young children. It is virtually impossible to prevent them drinking from an unsuitable supply and this poses a risk to them. The senior school, both building and grounds, is deficient in many ways. The toilets are inadequate and the floors when wet create a dangerous, slippy arena. There is no indoor supply of drinking water and this poses the same risk to these children as has been highlighted in the junior school and it is almost impossible to prevent children drinking from an unsuitable supply. One would expect a hot supply for handwashing and this is not available. The heating system continues to fail. It is no longer cost effective to spend money on maintenance there. The sewerage system is overloaded. It would appear that because of uneven sloping yard surface, surface water flows into the system and during recent flooding raw sewage was about to flow freely but for the intervention of school staff.
Teachers in the school have given many years of dedicated, conscientious instruction to the pupils and have been working from rapidly deteriorating conditions. They have lived in silence for too long but the parents have had enough. The Minister is presently drawing up her list for capital expenditure next year and I call on her to ensure money is provided for a new school in Allen. A better case can hardly be made anywhere else in Ireland.