I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter of importance to my constituency on the Adjournment. I would like to give Deputy Crowe one minute of the five minutes available to me.
Adjournment Debate. - Schools Building Projects.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
That is agreed.
Loch an Iúir national school is a three teacher school built in 1929 with a current enrolment of 65 pupils, 41 boys and 24 girls. The classrooms are utterly unsuitable for modern day curriculum requirements. Space is cramped and restricted and geared towards teacher-centred rather than child-centred teaching methods.
There is only one exit from the school. Windows cannot be opened. There are above average levels of radon gas. The boiler room is insulated with a thick layer of asbestos, all of which leads to serious concerns for the health and safety of pupils and teachers.
The Department is well aware of these conditions, as reports have been submitted by the relevant authorities. Toilet and washing facilities are completely inadequate. There is one cubicle for 41 boys, two cubicles for 24 girls and no facilities for teachers. These are 19th century conditions for 21st century requirements.
The board of management applied for a three classroom extension with ancillary accommodation some years ago. Six months prior to the general election of May 2002, the Department's architect arrived at the school and plans for the extension were promised within weeks. Almost two years have elapsed and no plans have materialised, which leads to the conclusion that the pupils of Loch an Iúir are the victims of another broken election promise.
Is it any wonder the patience of parents is exhausted and that they have reached the end of their tether? Due to total exasperation they have unanimously decided to take the unprecedented step of withdrawing their children from the school. I can categorically state that these parents, neighbours of mine, acted in a manner alien to their nature but it was the only avenue open to them to obtain proper educational facilities and justice for their children. They are determined not to return to the school until the necessary works are carried out.
I ask the Minister to give Loch an Iúir school priority. It should be immediately included in the pilot scheme project and the processing of its application should be fast-tracked. In the meantime, alternative accommodation must be arranged until the necessary works are carried out so that the pupils have a school that meets all the health and safety standards as well as the educational requirements of the 21st century. Prompt action is required and nothing less will be accepted.
Scoil Ghaeltachta í seo agus is ceanntar fíor-Ghaeltachta é Loch an Iúir. Tá coláiste Ghaeilge ansin agus tá sé scannalach go bhfuil neamart mar sin déanta ag an Roinn agus an Rialtas i riachtanais oideachais na bpáistí i Loch an Iúir. Tá foighid na dtuismitheoirí caite agus ní raibh an dara rogha acu ach na páistí a tharraingt amach as an scoil. Chomh luath agus a chuirfidh an Roinn in iúl go bhfuil sí chun na scéime seo a cheadú, beidh na páistí ar ais.
This is a health and safety matter not only for the children, but for the teachers. It is a scandal and a disgrace. There are 65 pupils and only three toilet cubicles. There is one tap for the entire school for drinking, washing hands, making tea and mixing paints for arts and crafts. When the tap is turned on, the toilets do not work. If someone uses the bathroom and goes to wash their hands, none of the toilets will flush.
Levels of radon gas, a lung carcinogen, are 35% above the norm. Some 22,000 people die in the United States from lung cancer resulting from exposure to indoor radon gas. When one reviews the evidence – higher than safety limits of a dangerous gas, inadequate and unsanitary toilet facilities and chronic shortage of space – how can one be surprised at the decision of parents to withdraw their children?
I thank Deputies McGinley and Crowe for raising this matter as it affords me, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science who apologises for not being here to take this matter as he is out of the country, the opportunity to outline to the House the position regarding accommodation and conditions at Loch an Iúir national school, County Donegal.
The principal, acting on behalf of the board of management, advised the primary administration section of the Department of Education and Science on Wednesday morning that the parents had withdrawn their children from the school and were carrying out a protest outside the school gates. The principal confirmed also that all the teachers were present at the school.
Loch an Iúir national school is one of three primary schools in the parish of Annagry. Enrolments at this school have shown a slight decline in recent years, down from 73 in 2001-02 to 65 this year. The current staffing consists of a principal teacher, two mainstream teachers, one shared learning support teacher and one shared resource teacher. The school also has a special needs assistant post.
The existing building dates from the 1920s and consists of three classrooms, an entrance lobby and boys and girls toilets. The school has also been renting a portacabin since September 2001. This accommodation was acquired at the time to cater for the learning support and resource teachers at the school. The Department of Education and Science is providing grant-aid to the school at a rate of 95% of the overall cost of this accommodation. In addition, in 2002 the Department provided grant-aid to Loch an Iúir national school in the amount of €8,505, that is, 90% of the final cost of resurfacing of the school yard.
A devolved grant to be used for minor capital works and to cater for essential health and safety issues has been paid to all primary schools since 1997. In regard to the issues of health and safety raised by Deputy Crowe, a grant is available to deal with those issues. The funds are intended to be spent on the physical infrastructure of the school or on items of furniture and equipment for educational use. Works covered under the scheme include improvements to school buildings and grounds. Items such as the replacement of windows, roof repairs, resurfacing of school yards, re-painting and redecorating may also be paid out of this grant.
The school was included in an audit designed to gather information on the use of moneys paid to the school authorities under the devolved grant scheme. However, no response has been received from the school despite reminders.
Following a national radon survey commissioned by the Department in early 2001, the school's radon readings were well below the statutory reference levels of 400 bequerels. However, under the provisions of the Department's scheme of radon mitigation for schools, grant-aid for the purposes of radon remediation may be paid to schools where the level of radon readings in rooms falls between 200 to 400 bequerels. On this basis, grant-aid was paid to the board of management earlier this year to have remediation works carried out on a classroom where radon readings totalled 217 bequerels. It is the responsibility of the board of management to ensure that these works are carried out.
In regard to the general conditions at the school, in response to an application from the school, a building project designed to provide a one classroom extension had reached stage three of architectural planning in January 2000. At that time, the board of management requested that the accommodation brief be changed to provide a three classroom extension and convert the existing classrooms into a general purpose room.
I understand Deputy McGinley and my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, made forceful submissions at the time outlining the school's position. I understand from the Minister of State that there was also a wish that the school qualify for a pilot scheme. Unfortunately, that has not been possible to date.
In order to determine the appropriate level of accommodation which should be provided at the school, factors such as current and projected enrolments, staffing and the demographic trends in the area must be thoroughly examined. In addition, there are technical issues which must be resolved before further progress can be made. A technical examination indicates that the building is structurally sound but that the site may be restrictive for the proposed extension.
When all these factors have been considered, a decision will be made on how best to provide for the accommodation requirements at the school. The progress of individual projects to architectural planning will depend on the budgetary provision for 2004 and subsequent years, the rate of progress of existing projects in architectural planning and the priority afforded to each project by reference to the published criteria for prioritising large-scale building projects. The annual school building programme will outline details of projects for which funding is to be made available. In the meantime, the school should use the devolved grant to deal with any urgent health and safety works required.
I thank Deputy McGinley, in particular, and Deputy Crowe for raising these issues. I urge that, in the educational interest of their children, the parents reconsider their actions, which I understand are not their norm, at the school and ensure the children attend their classes.