Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 21 Nov 2001

Vol. 544 No. 4

Adjournment Debate. - Schools Building Projects.

Mr. Creed:

The parents, teachers, board of management and, not least, the pupils of St. Coleman's boys national school, Macroom, are fed up to the back teeth with the delay and prevarication by the Department of Education and Science in dealing with their request for a new school. Unless the Department acts swiftly recent developments in this matter will leave the Exchequer facing costs for a school that will be significantly greater than they would otherwise have been.

St. Coleman's boys national school has 130 pupils and eight teachers. Projected enrolment figures envisage the appointment of at least one more teacher in the near future. Given the huge number of recent housing developments in Macroom, pupil numbers are expected to grow. Planned improvements to the main Cork-Killarney route, the N22, are expected to lead to further developments which will increase the town's population even more along with the enrolment at the school in question. At present, the campus of the school straddles the N22 which poses a significant danger to the health and safety of pupils and staff.

On 23 April 1997 the chairman of the board of management wrote to the Department of Education and Science seeking the provision of adequate accommodation at St. Coleman's. In June 1998 the then Minister, Deputy Martin, issued instructions to the school's board of management to commence the design process for the project. The issue of the school securing a site extension was deemed extremely important as it was needed to allow the project to proceed. In October 2000 the school's principal and the chairperson of the board of management met a local property developer who had just purchased the lands to the rear of the school. The developer proposed to supply the school with a new two acre site in return for the existing school site. He even suggested that the proposed development to the rear of the school would be done in two phases. Phase one was to prepare a temporary entrance to the school site to allow for the new school to be built. When that school was completed, phase two of the project would see the existing school being knocked, allowing for the rest of the development to be completed. A proposal outlining all of this was forwarded to the Department of Education and Science in December 2000. A Department architect viewed the new site shortly afterwards but no recommendations were made until March 2000 when a feasibility study was requested. The study was completed in May and forwarded to the Department.

In September 2001 the developer, frustrated by the inaction of the Department of Education and Science, made one last offer to the school's board of management. A school site was offered to the board of management for a paltry amount with payment required within three weeks, otherwise the deal was off. A decision to pay the sum was communicated to the Department and a commitment was sought that it would build a new school on the site. Further clarification was sought by the Department regarding the fact that the site proposed was to be serviced. Eventually and way beyond the deadline set by the developer, that commitment was given. By this time the developer had gone elsewhere to seek an entrance to his lands that would allow him to proceed with his project. A recent meeting with the developer, who needs to commence his project immediately, will probably result in the existing school being demolished along with the provision of temporary accommodation on a portion of the new school site. A proposal from the developer that is to be issued to the school's board of management, envisages that he will prepare the temporary site and may even provide the temporary accommodation. However, that will only be in the short-term. The reality is that a new site for the new school is being provided by the school's board of management. A temporary site and accommodation in the interim is being provided by a property developer.

The net question which parents, the board of management, teachers and pupils are asking is "Where is the evidence of the commitment of the Department of Education and Science to this project?". If the Department does not seize this opportunity the project will eventually cost the Exchequer, the State and taxpayers much more than it should have.

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Dr. Moffatt):

I am glad the Deputy has given me the opportunity to outline to the House the current position of the Department of Education and Science in relation to the building project for the school to which the Deputy referred.

At present the school's staff comprises a principal, four assistants, one resource teacher, one shared remedial teacher and one shared special teacher for Travellers. The enrolment at 30 September 2001 was 129 pupils. The school's present facilities consist of five classrooms and an application has been received from the school authorities for the provision of appropriate improved accommodation.

The Deputy will appreciate that there has been a massive and unprecedented increase in the funds allocated by this Government to the building programme at all levels. The allocation in the current year is £370.5 million or 470.4 million. That is almost four times the allocation made by the previous Government in 1997. This level of funding has enabled the Department to undertake a record number of building projects and it is intended to continue this rate of progress to overcome the deficit arising from past years and while meeting the needs of the present day.

Decisions relating to the rate of progress to construction of individual projects – including a project at the school referred to by the Deputy, currently at architectural planning stage – will be taken, as in previous years, in the light of the allocations to be made for school building purposes and when all budget decisions have been taken by the Government.

Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin:

I thank the chair for allowing me to raise this matter and I thank the Minister of State for attending to reply.

One of my fellow county men recently declared the Celtic tiger to be dead. Tonight I will provide this House with evidence that agrees strongly with his statement. This morning's Irish Independent carried a story on an INTO study on the extent of educational disadvantage in our primary schools. The study identified 73 “hazardous and seriously substandard primary schools”. The INTO deemed those schools to be unsafe for pupils. Among the schools identified was St. Joseph's national school, Rathmore, in south Kerry. It is a monument to the neglect by this Government of the educationally disadvantaged. It is a testament to a Minister who is out of touch, unwilling to reform and blissfully unaware of and unconcerned by the hardships being experienced at St. Joseph's national school, Rathmore, on a daily basis.

I will paint a picture of the conditions that pupils and staff have to endure every day. At present there is not actually a school. The old school has been demolished and pupils and staff are currently housed in three prefabricated buildings on what looks like a building site. The staff and parents have begged this Government for four or five years to build a new school. The Government has continually delayed, ducked and dodged acquiring a site for the new school. There is no clarity on the issue and no guarantees have been made as to when a new school might be built. The old school was in such a shabby condition that it was knocked last August. The Minister then promised three brand new prefabricated buildings to be provided on a temporary basis, but only one new one and two completely sub- standard ones have been supplied. Only one of these has a toilet and some of the children still have to use the old outdoor toilets which are all that remain of the old school.

Conditions have been so bad in recent weeks that pupils have been advised to bring a change of clothes to school because their playground is now a waterlogged field. Asking parents to supply their children with two outfits every day is bad enough, but not providing them with changing or washing facilities is verging on criminal. Where does the Minister of State expect the children to change out of their wet clothes or wash themselves, which they should not have to do in the first place?

I thought the hedge schools were a thing of the past, but they are alive and well in Rathmore. The Book of Estimates published last week provides no extra funding for school buildings. Just as Nero fiddled while Rome burned, the Minister fiddles while our schools go to ground.

I sometimes wonder if we are living in the First World or the Third World. There is no sense of moral rectitude or outrage in this Administration. Is the Government happy with my constituents in Rathmore sending their children to school with a spare set of clothes? Is the Minister happy that Rathmore national school does not actually exist, but rather is based in three run-down prefabricated buildings in the middle of a building site? If this was an industrial building site, it would be closed down in the morning.

The area around the prefabricated buildings is very dangerous for young children. It is located in the backyard of a senior Minister and a prominent pro-Government Independent Member, who call themselves the saviours of south Kerry. They are obviously very happy to have children in school with no toilets in prefabricated buildings, inadequate heating facilities and a play area like the Bog of Allen.

The parents, pupils and staff of Rathmore national school have had enough. They will not forget the shoddy treatment they have received from the Government. They know they were not neglected when my party was in power, in comparison to the way they have been fobbed off by the Government. They have had promises and promises from my constituency colleagues, and the Government. Like so many other promises, they proved to be empty.

The Minister of State and his colleagues have a few months left in which to rectify this appalling situation. I want answers tonight and if I do not get them, I will continue to seek them until such time that the pupils of Rathmore get the response they deserve.

Dr. Moffatt:

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the current position regarding the new amalgamated national school at Rathmore, County Kerry. The management authorities of Rathmore boys' national school applied to the Department of Education and Science for funding towards upgrading and refurbishing the existing facilities. A technical inspection of the school building was subsequently carried out by the Department's architectural service. Following further consideration of the matter, the question of rationalisation of primary schools in the Rathmore area was then raised and discussions were held between the Department of Education and Science and the various interested parties.

Agreement was subsequently reached between the Department and the relevant school authorities to amalgamate into a new school on a greenfield site. As an interim measure, the Department of Education and Science has approved grant aid for the demolition of the old boys' school and also for the provision of temporary accommodation for three classrooms.

The Deputy will appreciate that there has been a massive and unprecedented increase in the funds allocated by the Government to the building programme at all levels. The allocation in the current year is £370.5 million, almost four times the allocation made by the previous Government in 1997. This level of funding has enabled the Department to undertake a record number of building projects—

Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin:

That was the reply to the previous matter on the Adjournment.

Dr. Moffatt:

If it was true—

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle:

The Deputy has had her say and was allowed five minutes. She should allow the Minister of State to reply. All remarks must be made through the Chair.

Dr. Moffatt:

If it was true on the last occasion, it is also true in this situation in regard to education. This level of funding has enabled the Department to undertake a record number of building projects and it is the Minister's intention to continue at this rate of progress in overcoming the deficit arising from many past years and meeting the needs of today.

Decisions relating to the rate of progress to construction of individual projects, including the proposed project for the new national school in Rathmore, will be taken, as in previous years, in the light of the allocations made for school building purposes and when all budget decisions have been taken by the Government.

Mr. Sheehan:

It is now almost six years since the board of management of St. James's national school, Durrus – a Church of Ireland school – made its application for a new school to the Department of Education and Science. It furnished plans to the Department in this regard. The site was available for a price of £20,000 almost five years ago. However, the Department and the Office of Public Works dragged their feet in purchasing it. In the meantime the price has increased from £20,000 to £100,000. With the escalation of property prices in the past five years, this should not have happened. The Department and the Office of Public Works have still not completed the purchase, but are now in the final stages of doing so. However, the site will cost £100,000. It could have been purchased for £20,000 five years ago.

The Office of Public Works insisted on a resubmission of plans for the new school. The plans are now submitted, but the board in charge of the school does not yet own the site. Sheer incompetence on the part of the Department is responsible for this charade. The real losers in this debacle are the 27 schoolchildren accommodated in a substandard school, in zero temperatures, with little or no heating. By the standards required of national schools, it is completely substandard.

The school has only a poor electric heating system, with dehumidifiers in operation all the time. The toilets are obsolete. The special needs teacher has to conduct her class in the girls' toilet. This is an outrageous state of affairs which would not be tolerated in any Third World country, never mind this one, which we were told was awash with money 12 months ago. The roof over the toilet is infested with bees with the result that the weight of honey could cause it to collapse. The windows of the entire school are rotten. The doors are equally as bad.

I understand the plans for a new school have now been submitted to the Department. In view of this and the fact that it is now six years since the first application was submitted on behalf of the school in Durrus, I want immediate action from the Minister on behalf of the school's board of management. The Government stated after last year's budget that the country was awash with money. If so, why did the Department not proceed with the building of the new school during the past year? Will the Minister of State assure me that finance will be provided under the building programme of the Department in 2002?

I understand that when the board of management contacted the Department's primary building section recently an official indicated that all projects in the Department were on hold until after the budget. Despite St. James's national school, Durrus, having waited almost six years, it is now being informed that no priority will be given to it. It is amazing to think that that kind of answer could be given by an official in the Department. The time for nonsense has come to a halt. This is a serious situation appertaining to that country school. I guarantee the Minister that if the health authorities knew of the serious situation appertaining to that school, they would close it down immediately. I want action, not pious words on this matter.

Dr. Moffatt:

I am glad the Deputy has given me the opportunity to outline to the House the current position of the Department of Education and Science regarding the building project for St. James' national school, Durrus, which has been described very vividly by Deputy Sheehan.

At present the school has a staffing level of principal, one assistant teacher and a shared learning support teacher. The enrolment at 30 September 2001 was 27 pupils. The school's present facilities consist of two classrooms and it has applied for the provision of improved additional accommodation. The Deputy will appreciate that massive and unprecedented funding has been given over to the building programme in the current year – £370.5 million.

Mr. Sheehan:

Cold comfort for Durrus.

Dr. Moffatt:

At least the money is being spent somewhere around the country.

This level of funding has enabled the Department of Education and Science to undertake a record number of building projects and it is the Minister's intention to continue this rate of progress in overcoming the deficit arising from many past years and in meeting the needs of the present day. Decisions relating to the rate of progress to construction of individual projects, including a project at St. James' national school, Durrus, which is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning will be taken as in previous years in the light of the allocations to be made for school building purposes and when all budget decisions have been taken by the Government.