I thank you, a Leas-Cheann-Comhairle, for giving me the opportunity to raise this important issue. I also thank the Minister for Education and Science for taking it. St. Mary's national school, Donnybrook, is a single stream co-educational school with a current enrolment of 274. The main school building was constructed in 1965 as a seven classroom school. An eighth classroom and a general purpose room were added in 1987. The original plan for the building did not envisage the demands of a modern school curriculum. The current implementation of an information communication technology plan is frustrated by the limitations of space available for installing technology and equipment in classrooms with large numbers of pupils.
Serious circulation problems are posed by a lack of corridor provision. The school has eight mainstream teachers, one remedial teacher and one administrative principal. Arising from the lowering of the pupil-teacher ratio in 1999 the school is entitled to the appointment of a tenth assistant teacher. Unfortunately, it does not have the accommodation for this appointment. Previously, the school had to adapt a cloakroom to provide accommodation for a remedial teacher.
There is great demand for places in the school, but the site is restricted and, therefore, the school population cannot increase. Over the past number of years the school has had an excess of applicants for its junior infant class. In 1998 there were 63 applicants from the parish and 55 from outside. In 1999 the school received 60 applications from the parish and 56 from outside. Applications already received for 2000, 2001 and 2002 demonstrate a continuity in high numbers of parishioners applying for places.
Ranelagh and Milltown parishes also expect the school to provide places because there are no Catholic schools in those areas. A chronic shortage of school places is a feature of life in Dublin south-east and, as a parent, I am familiar with this problem. The new specifications for primary schools include the provision of the following auxiliary accommodation – a resource library 70 square metres in area; a small multi-purpose room for conferences/medical examination and a remedial room for an administrative area of 30 square metres. St. Mary's national school lacks these amenities. It is also vital that a corridor is built. Currently pupils must in some cases pass through classrooms to move within the school structure.
An architect, Mr. Mark Cunningham, visited the school site yesterday to gain familiarity with and report on the site to the Department. The improvement plans have already been discussed with the school inspectors, Mr. Eamon Murtagh and Mr. Padraig Burns. The outline proposal has already been sent to the building unit in Tullamore. The school is seeking approval to move forward with its proposals and it is eager to work with architects approved by the Department, but to date it has not received a satisfactory response or had an opportunity to meet officials within the Department. It had expected a site visit or an appointment to meet relevant officers in Tullamore.
The staff of the school and the parents are eager to move ahead and cannot understand the long delay at this stage of the process. I ask the Minister to give this matter his full attention. In the past he has been amenable and my colleagues and I in Dublin South East have very much appreciated his co-operation.
