Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 26 Jun 2002

Vol. 553 No. 6

Adjournment Debate. - School Placement.

Mr. S. Ryan

My colleague, Deputy Sargent, wishes to support me in the matter I wish to raise. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for affording me the opportunity to raise this important issue here this evening. The problem relates to the Holy Family junior national school in Swords and the inability of the parents or guardians to secure a place in the school for their children, some nearing five years of age, for September next.

The school's catchment area has traditionally been River Valley, an estate with in excess of 2,000 houses. Recently, the board of management widened the catchment to include new estates such as Ballintrane Woods, Highfield and Boroimhe, which is currently being developed. All are to the west of Swords.

On 10 June, the parents were informed by the board of management that the school was losing a teacher, the 19th mainstream class teacher. Accordingly, given the number of places available, it was not possible to enrol their children for September 2002. The loss of the teacher was based on the enrolment figure in September 2001, which was a single pupil below the figure required to retain the teacher. Since then I have been contacted by distraught parents, with no realistic options available to them, looking for guidance and demanding the support of the Government because the other national schools in Swords, St. Cronan's and St. Colmcille's some miles away, are also full to capacity.

It is difficult enough for parents who, through necessity, are required to work outside the home without having the Minister for Education and Science putting additional stress and strain on them and their children. This is totally unacceptable in any town or village, but especially in Swords, which is one of the fastest growing areas in the country and where there is always a demand for school places.

Houses are being completed in this catchment area and families with school-going children are taking up residence on a weekly basis. I anticipate – I hope I am wrong – that the Minister, in the normal bureaucratic way, will state that the organisation of classes within the school is a matter for the board of management. I wish to confirm that the principal of the school has rejigged the classes to cater for the largest possible number of children. In addition, the school caters successfully for a range of special needs pupils such as children with physical and sensory disabilities, some in wheelchairs. Some of the pupils have special language needs as the school also caters for children of parents with refugee and asylum seeker status. Are all these pupils to suffer because of the Minister's intransigence?

On behalf of the parents of all of the children attending this school, I wish to state that the Minister's response to date is totally unacceptable. The promises that were made in River Valley during the recent general election by the Fianna Fáil candidates, who are now Deputies, are unfortunately proving to be very hollow. Regrettably, the children of the area will be the real losers.

This issue can and must be resolved. As I outlined earlier, this is one of the major growth areas in the country and there are provisions and precedents for resolving this problem within the Department. Let the Minister prove his worth in respect of the provision of education for all our children, particularly in River Valley in Swords.

Mr. Sargent

I thank Deputy Seán Ryan for sharing his time and for seeking this Adjournment debate. Holy Family school has a great name in terms of its educational standards, both at junior and senior levels. However, the Minister should take into account that the school is in an area which we are told is the fastest growing in Europe. At break time, one can see the children in very cramped conditions in the playground and, more seriously, in the crowded classrooms.

Will the Government recognise that many people voted for Fianna Fáil in this area on the basis of promises that were made and an understanding that a Fianna Fáil Government would not let them down? I hope their trust has not been misplaced because, at this stage, they are desperate to see some response from the Government given that their children, as Deputy Seán Ryan said, cannot even get into the school and there are no alternatives. If the Government will not provide educational facilities for our children of whatever standard, preferably of a proper standard, it has no business being in office. That is a serious point that should be taken on board.

Miss de Valera

I am pleased to have the opportunity to outline to the House the position regarding the accommodation of children in the Holy Family junior national school. The Deputy is no doubt aware that the school is losing a teacher for the 2002-2003 school year due to a decline in enrolments.

The staffing of a primary school for a particular year is determined by reference to the number of pupils enrolled on 30 September the previous year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule. The staffing schedule is determined for a particular year following discussions with the managerial authorities and the INTO.

The enrolment of the above school on 30 September 2000 was 542 pupils, resulting in a 2001-2002 staffing of an administrative principal, 19 mainstream teachers, two learning support posts, one resource post and a temporary teacher for non-English-speaking pupils.

The enrolment on 30 September 2001, on which the staffing for the 2002-2003 school year will be based, was 527 pupils. The staffing for the 2002-2003 school year will be an administrative principal, 18 mainstream teachers, two learning support posts, one resource post. The temporary post for non-English-speaking pupils is currently being reviewed by the inspectorate.

The number of pupils required to retain the 19th mainstream class teacher for the 2002-2003 school year is 528. If the board of management of the school feels that the enrolment for the school for September 2002 will increase substantially, it may apply for a post under the "developing school" criteria. The "developing school" criteria for the 2002-03 school year are outlined in circular letter 9/02, a copy of which was issued to the board of management of the school earlier this year. To satisfy the criteria as outlined in the circular letter, the enrolment of Holy Family junior school on 30 September 2002 would have to increase by at least 30 pupils over the number enrolled on 30 September 2001. Accordingly, the school would require an enrolment of at least 557 pupils on 30 September 2002 to gain the post. If the board of management of the school is confident that the overall enrolment of the school on 30 September 2002 will be in excess of 557 pupils it should apply to the primary payments branch of my Department for the allocation of a teaching post under the "developing school" status.

The Deputy should also be aware that the organisation of classes in a school is a matter for the board of management. With regard to the issue of parents being advised that their children cannot be accommodated, the board of management should submit details to the primary payments section of my Department regarding the number of pupils it has enrolled for the school year 2002-2003 and also the names and details of the pupils that it cannot accommodate and to whom it has refused admission. The details will be examined as soon as they are received and my Department will be in touch with the board of management regarding the matter.