Adjournment Debate.

School Accommodation.

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

I want to put on record my dissatisfaction with what I would describe as the Department of evasion and smoke, masquerading as the Department of Education and Science. This is but one example of a series of replies that deliberately set out to mislead Deputies; to either lie to us in factual terms or simply to avoid answering written questions.

I will give the House an example of what I mean. I asked the following two-line written question of the Minister for Education and Science:

To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools using prefab classrooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Her reply, which extends over two pages, states the following:

The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available.

While comprehensive information is held on individual school files, the Department does not yet have these details available in a format that provides readily accessible cumulative information on the overall position. It is, however, intended to address this issue as part of a general review of rental policy currently being undertaken.

In the short time available to me, I wish to make a brief statement. To double the capitation grant from its present level of €178 per primary school student over a five year period, which is in the programme for Government, would cost less than 1% of the current €9.3 billion budget of the Department of Education and Science. The Minister is incapable of responding to that request, made jointly in a letter from the patrons of the five institutions that are currently the patrons in our primary school system. She is incapable of making a response to meet the need for extra primary education resources because she simply does not know how much she is paying out by way of rental for prefabs.

The prefabs to which I refer are buildings that will have a life expectancy way in excess of what it says on the tin, so to speak. There are children going through our primary school system, in the second richest country in Europe, who will spend their entire educational life in prefabs. There are teachers who, when it rains, as it is doing now, wear wellingtons in school because they must move from one classroom to another. In the Educate Together school outside Drogheda, for example, the teachers must bring wellingtons to school because there are no corridors connecting the prefab classrooms. This is a crime against future generations.

The Minister's reply — this the third time I have sought to have it raised on the Adjournment — is a testimony to the skills of obfuscation, evasion and down-right deceit. It represents a refusal, ultimately, by those on the other side of the House to recognise that they operate in a republic in which not only are they a Government, but they are also accountable to the elected Deputies on this side of the House, to whom they must give straight answers to straight questions. The two page response to a two line question asking how many prefabs are in use begins with the words, "The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available". Is it any wonder the Department of Education and Science — what a contradiction in terms — is in utter chaos?

Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism (Deputy Séamus Brennan)

I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin. As the Deputy will be aware from the Minister's reply to his previous question, the position is that while comprehensive information is held on individual school files, the Department does not yet have these details available in a format that provides readily accessible cumulative information on the overall position on temporary accommodation. This issue is, however, being addressed as part of a general review of rental policy being undertaken. Information is being collated on schools which have received approval from the Department for temporary accommodation. It will be used to produce a database of information which will be maintained on an ongoing basis. The Minister will ensure the Deputy receives the information sought once it is available.

In addition to developing a database, the review of rental policy will involve the development of new procedures for both short-term rental and purchase and a draw-down contract for supply and installation of temporary accommodation on a regional basis. Existing rental contracts will also be investigated with a view to establishing if there is potential for better value for money. In the meantime, the Department is examining all applications for additional accommodation on an individual basis to determine if there is a need and what is the most appropriate solution.

The Deputy will be aware that demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly in recent years, with the appointment of 6,000 extra teachers in the primary sector alone since 2002. Against this background, the Department has nonetheless managed to keep expenditure on temporary accommodation low. Last year rental costs only amounted to 5% of the total investment in school buildings. Where accommodation is needed at short notice, however, a temporary solution can be the only option. Such accommodation may also be used where the need is short term such as when a school requires a temporary building while it is awaiting the completion of construction of permanent facilities. However, the emphasis will continue to be on providing permanent accommodation, where possible.

This year more than €586 million will be invested in school buildings and construction work will take place which is expected to provide permanent accommodation for approximately 20,000 pupils when complete. In the past newly recognised schools have generally been required to open in temporary accommodation. As the Minister pointed out in her previous discussion of the issue with the Deputy, she has been anxious to move away from this approach in developing areas. This year the Department is working hard to open as many new schools as possible in permanent accommodation. Departmental officials have been working in partnership with local authority staff to acquire sites needed for new schools next September. The aim, where possible, is to put permanent solutions in place on a phased basis to meet the immediate September 2008 needs, with a second phase to follow as required. Permanent solutions will be possible where a long-term site has been secured. The Deputy will be pleased to learn that this ambitious programme is on target. Not only has expenditure on temporary accommodation been kept to only about 5% of total investment in school buildings in recent years, the Department is also working hard to open new schools in permanent accommodation from the outset.

Schools Building Projects.

Deputy Willie Penrose

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this important matter for discussion on the Adjournment. Sonna is located in the parish of Ballynacarrigy, my own parish, near Mullingar. My wife and her family were educated in Sonna national school which was built in 1953 and caters for a large hinterland, including Slanemore, Mullingar, Walshestown, Monroe, Bunbrosna, Balgarrett and Kildallan.

To illustrate the enormity of the task facing the principal, teachers, board of management and parents' association, the two classes of 23 and 22 children, respectively, are accommodated in classrooms one third of the recommended size. From an environmental and health and safety perspective, this serious overcrowding is not acceptable and must be addressed. Pupil numbers have expanded as junior infants have been accepted on the basis that a new school will be completed on schedule. The school lacks accommodation for resource teachers who visit to assist children with academic difficulties and so forth. The space and facilities they require must be provided. The school must juggle the timetable to accommodate children with special needs. I commend the teachers, principal and everyone else involved for acting to ensure this vital resource facility is available.

Built in 1953, the school needs to be modernised. The building project entails upgrading and refurbishing the old school and constructing a new one with four proper size classrooms, a principal's office, secretarial room, resource room and staff room, which are necessities nowadays. The old building will be modernised to accommodate a small physical education hall and another resource room for teaching children with disabilities. It is important that the school is wheelchair accessible to ensure inclusivity at all levels.

The school was allocated a grant under the devolved schools scheme but withdrew from the scheme in February 2006 because it was not suitable on the grounds that inadequate funds had been provided to construct a new school building. In such a small rural area it is not feasible to ask schools to raise large sums of money to complete projects. In April 2006 the school was notified that it could proceed with the new school building and the Department would fund all but €63,000 of the cost of the work, still a significant sum for a rural school to raise.

In June 2006 the late Fr. Deegan and Mr. Daithí Ó Fiach, the school principal, met officials and the Department's architect to discuss changes needed to satisfy the Department's requirements, given that it was funding the full works. In April 2007 a project manager was appointed to speed up the project, as it was not progressing as quickly as it should. Plans were resubmitted to the Department in June 2007. The school was informed orally by an official in October 2007 that the Department's architect was still unhappy with aspects of the revised drawings and Mr. Ó Fiach was informed that a letter would be sent in due course outlining the areas requiring further attention in order that these could be modified to the satisfaction of the Department. Despite numerous telephone calls being made since October 2007, the school has not received a letter from the Department, as a result of which it has not been able to progress the project. Unless the school is notified of the Department's concerns regarding the revised plans, it cannot advance the project. The principal telephoned the Department and left his contact details but has not been contacted.

The Department has engaged in foot-dragging, obfuscation and procrastination to delay a worthy project. On behalf of the people of the rural area in question which I know well, I will not accept this approach. The parents of the pupils have sent me here to agitate and advocate their cause. The Department has failed to respond to the school authorities. The building project cannot proceed until a response is received. Too many phases are involved in the construction of new schools. A number of visitors from Gainstown are in the Visitors Gallery. Their school was also put through the mill and obstacles were erected when the school authorities were ready to proceed. The same problem occurs across the country. Ministers and Fianna Fáil councillors in County Westmeath have told me I am wrong in this regard. How could I be, given the disgraceful approach being taken?

Where better could one spend money than on the early stages of education? Giving young children entering primary school a happy environment, warm school, adequate space and accommodation and recreational facilities affords them an opportunity to develop. We would reap the benefits of such an approach when pupils progress into second and third level education, the cornerstones of the economy. I call on the Minister to contact the principal and board of management of Sonna national school, address problems which need to be solved and allow the school building project to proceed. The school serves the people of County Westmeath well and I intend to ensure it will continue to do so.

Deputy Séamus Brennan

On behalf of the Minister for Education and Science I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the Department's position regarding the proposed provision of a new school building for Sonna national school, County Westmeath.

Sonna national school was originally included under the small schools initiative and the school was offered €440,000 to build and improve the accommodation in the school. Having examined all the options the school decided to build a new four classroom school but withdrew from the devolved scheme as they considered the allocation insufficient for such an undertaking. The school currently has two small permanent classrooms and two prefabs.

The current staffing in the school consists of the principal and three mainstream teachers together with a shared special education teacher. The proposed project will consist of the construction of a new four classroom school and is currently at stage 3 of architectural planning.

Under the lifetime of the national development plan almost €4.5 billion will be invested in schools. This is an unprecedented level of capital investment which reflects the commitment of the Government to continue its programme of sustained investment in primary and post-primary schools. This investment will facilitate the provision of new schools and extensions in developing areas and the improvement of existing schools through the provision of replacement schools, extensions or large scale refurbishments over the coming years.

The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase is considered on an ongoing basis in the context of the national development plan and the Department's multi-annual school building and modernisation programme. The project referred to by the Deputy will likewise be considered in that context.

I would like to give the assurance that the Minister and her Department are committed to providing a new school building for the national school referred to by the Deputy at the earliest possible date.

National Monuments.

Deputy Joanna Tuffy

As the Minister is aware, a situation arose today at the location of the Rath Lugh monument where, according to newspaper reports, a young woman has chained her neck to a jack in a tunnel and the fear is that if any attempt is made to remove her from the tunnel it could collapse putting her life in danger.

A dangerous situation has arisen at the site. I do not condone people putting their lives at risk in this way but statements from those protesting around the site would indicate that the tunnelling could put the monument at risk in addition to endangering the lives of the protestors and others around the site. I understand other protestors have chained themselves to various obstacles above the tunnels.

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government placed a permanent preservation order on the monument recently, the purpose of which is to preserve the monument. Concerns have been expressed by the protestors about the implementation of that preservation order. They are concerned about the works being carried out so close to the monument and whether the proper procedure is being followed in terms of ensuring that the preservation order is followed.

There are two sides to this issue. On the one side is the National Roads Authority and the workmen who are trying to do their job and on the other the protestors. The role of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is important in ensuring that the necessary steps are taken to preserve the monument and reassure the protestors, in so far as they can be reassured, that everything is being done to ensure the monument is protected in accordance with the preservation order. The Department must make certain there is ongoing monitoring of the works near the monument to ensure the monument is preserved.

In Opposition the Green Party was against the building of this motorway but its position has changed since going into Government. It is important that if preservation orders are made in respect of archaeological finds along the route they are strongly adhered to and that the Department and the Government does everything in their power to ensure that happens.

The way the M3 motorway project was carried out has been found to be at fault by the European Commission in terms of our monuments legislation and our archaeology. It has referred Ireland to the European Court of Justice because we did not carry out an environmental impact assessment of Lismullen, for example, and our National Monuments Act has been called into question. It is important that situation is rectified as quickly as possible.

What steps are being taken by the Government to ensure this monument is preserved, that there is ongoing monitoring in that regard and proper communicating with people who have concerns about what is being done by the Government and the Minister and his Department to ensure the preservation of this monument? There must be negotiation of some kind also and the Government should put that in place.

I realise we will never address everyone's concerns about this matter and the road is being built but in so far as it is possible we must try to solve the problem through negotiation. I am aware there was negotiation on the site today and an agreement reached that the woman would not be removed from the tunnel on foot of that negotiation.

There are people in the groups who are trying to protect the archaeology of this monument and other monuments along the route. I am sure if they were given the proper reassurances they could provide leadership in this dispute and be satisfied that as much as possible is being done in terms of protecting our archaeology under the current legislation, road orders and so on.

It is important that whatever steps the Government and all the authorities can take to ensure life and health and safety are protected are taken. It is important also that anyone involved in these protests should ensure their fellow protestors do not put themselves at risk in the way that has been done today. There are people at the site who know it is wrong that people would put their lives at risk in this way and they should show leadership in that regard. The Government should work with the people concerned to reassure them in that regard. In that way they can reassure their fellow protestors and that this type of situation will not arise in the future.

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Eamon Ryan)

The statutory responsibilities of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government regarding the national monument at Rath Lugh, Lismullen, County Meath are those provided for under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2004.

The national monument at Rath Lugh is located on an esker which is a ridge of stones, sand and gravel in the townland of Lismullen, County Meath. The entire esker is heavily overgrown with trees and scrub. The overgrowth has been removed where the land take for the M3 motorway cuts the western edge of the ridge. The lands on which the monument is located are owned by Coillte, the semi-State forestry body. The national monuments service has been in contact with Coillte regarding the ongoing and future protection of the monument and has received its full co-operation.

Concern has been expressed about the condition of the monument and that the removal of the overgrowth might destabilise part of the esker with an attendant danger of injury or destruction to the national monument at Rath Lugh. On 28 September 2007, the Minister placed a temporary preservation order on the national monument at Rath Lugh. The temporary preservation order had a six month validity and was due to expire on 28 March 2008. Last week, the Minister made that temporary preservation order permanent.

Arrangements are being made to have the preservation order laid before the Houses and to notify relevant parties of the making of the order.

The area of the monument covered by the preservation order is adjacent to but does not encroach on the lands made available by the National Roads Authority to the company responsible for constructing the M3 motorway. The area of the monument is delineated by reference to national grid co-ordinates in an Ordnance Survey map attached to the order. The temporary preservation order and the preservation order cover the same area, that is, the monument itself and a 20 m buffer zone. Neither order encompasses the entire esker on which the monument is located.

To assess the stability of the esker on which the monument at Rath Lugh is located the Minister commissioned a report from an independent firm of consultants with relevant expertise in this matter. The report from the consultants recommended that a number of precautionary measures be put in place to ensure that the esker is not undermined during the nearby road construction works or in the longer term. The Department has asked the NRA to implement the measures outlined in the consultants' report.

Issues of safety in respect of the M3 construction work sites and adherence to health and safety requirements on these sites, including such works sites in the vicinity of Rath Lugh, are matters for the NRA and the contractors involved. I echo the concerns of Deputy Tuffy regarding the importance of safety at the site.

Deputy Joanna Tuffy

There was one question I raised that was not answered.

Acting Chairman

Supplementary questions are not allowed under Standing Orders.

Inland Fisheries.

Deputy Mary Alexandra White

I represent a great riverine constituency. The Nore, Barrow, Slaney rivers, among others, run through Carlow and Kilkenny. They are breathtaking in their beauty and length and a rich source of folklore. In the Elizabethan era, the poet Edmund Spenser said of the Barrow, "The goodly Barrow on whose bosom great salmon heape".

Ireland has some of the cleanest and most lightly fished freshwaters in Europe. Our landscape is one of small fields and wild peat bogs, littered with loughs of all sizes and drained by many rivers. There are over 7,000 miles of riverbank for the coarse and pike angler. The scale of these waters varies dramatically.

For the past ten years, I have been campaigning to end drift-netting for salmon at sea to protect the species. Thankfully, this is now done. In the area of angling we have catch-and-release which allows sufficient number of salmon to be returned and allows salmon time to regenerate in a post drift-net era. However, we must look to the coarse fish, such as roach, bream, carp, pike and rudd, whose numbers are dwindling rapidly due to exploitation. I accept coarse anglers can catch a limited amount but there is now extensive fishing of coarse species which will lead to a collapse of these stocks.

Current by-laws introduced in recent years by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources impose a bag limit of four coarse fish in any one day and prohibit the killing of any coarse fish greater than 25 cm in length. They also prohibit the sale of any coarse fish in Ireland, excluding Northern Ireland. This provision will not apply to fishing tackle dealers and fish bait suppliers who have been granted an exemption. While these measures are in place, more needs to be done.

Anecdotal evidence from waterway keepers and others suggests large concerns about existing stocks. As one who treasures the biodiversity of our rivers, we must maintain it. The life cycle of flies, dragonflies, midges and water boatmen, a type of water beetle, depend on a delicate ecosystem of which coarse fish are part of the natural chain. These species are in imminent danger of stock collapse.

Will the Minister put in place adequate resources for the support of private waterkeepers? More tangible resources for inland waterways will ensure overfishing and over-exploitation of these stocks can come to an end. Coarse fishing also provides a valuable source of tourism for rural areas. Many fishermen use the Barrow riverbank from Carlow to Muine Beag, from Borris to the tidal waterways at St. Mullin's. Constituents have raised this matter with me and hope the Minister will implement measures to protect coarse fish stocks.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

Under the Fisheries Acts, primary responsibility for the management, conservation, protection and development of inland fisheries stocks rests with the central and regional fisheries boards in accordance with the Fisheries Acts 1959 to 2003. I rely on the advice of the boards in determining policy and legislative measure aimed at protecting these stocks.

I am advised by the boards they are aware that, due to changing population dynamics in recent years, some anglers may not have been respecting the practice of returning coarse fish catches live to the waters from which they were caught. Accordingly, localised fish stocks have been subjected to additional pressures in recent times.

Where the fish are particularly accessible, they are now being targeted as a food item. While the impact of this relatively new practice has not had a significant impact on coarse fish stocks nationally, some local problems have been recorded. The main problem appears to be perception. In Ireland, we are not used to seeing coarse fish killed and eaten and consequently domestic anglers are commonly angered when they witness this practice.

In 2005, on foot of concerns regarding the status of coarse fisheries in our rivers, a coarse fish review group was established under the chairmanship of the Central Fisheries Board. This group undertook a review of coarse fish policy with a view to developing an informed national policy for the management, development and protection of this resource.

On the advice of the review group, my Department introduced two by-laws, the Conservation of and Prohibition on Sale of Coarse Fish By-Law No. 806 2006 and the Conservation of Pike By-Law No. 809 2006, which control fishing for coarse fish. These by-laws provide several conservation measures, including that of limiting the number of fish that may be taken by anglers, and were introduced to prevent over-exploitation of coarse fish and pike in rivers, canals and lakes.

Details of these instruments were advertised as stipulated in the statute. The fisheries boards have undertaken several initiatives to publicise their content within the regions. These include multilingual signage erected at coarse fisheries and the printing of leaflets, in up to seven languages, setting out the content of the coarse and pike by-laws. These leaflets have been distributed by staff to all tackle shops and also to anglers on the riverbank. A considerable proportion of fisheries boards' resources and time is devoted to the protection of these stocks. The impact of these measures is being closely monitored by the boards.

For many years the fisheries boards and other State agencies have conducted surveys on coarse fish stocks and the relative health of the populations. Results from these quantitative and ongoing surveys indicate that coarse fish stocks in our main fishery rivers and lakes are healthy and sufficient to meet the needs of both domestic and tourist coarse fish anglers.

While the boards are always working to improve the coarse fisheries and their ecosystems, they are satisfied that our fisheries are not going through a period of serious decline due to overfishing.

The Dáil adjourned at 3.50 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 2 April 2008.

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Thursday, 13 Mar 2008