Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 17 April 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills

Schools Building Programme Delays: Discussion

3:30 pm

Photo of Fiona O'LoughlinFiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The committee chose three samples where there has been inconsistency regarding commitments made by the Department and in respect of the delivery. Listening to the three presentations I was struck by their passionate enthusiasm for the school community, the students they teach and the school staff.

I had the opportunity to talk to some of the staff in St. Paul's secondary school in Monasterevin about the impact this issue had on them, which Senator Ruane rightly pointed out. Mr. Burke mentioned it also in his submission in terms of thanking the teachers for teaching in a Third World-type situation. The same is true for the school in Monasterevin and, I have not doubt, for the school in Ballinteer. Teachers do not have a place where they can correct copy books and must sit in a car to do that. At the same time, there are 44 members of staff and there are only 17 car park spaces. Of those 44 teachers, 43 of them must drive to get to the school so the cars cannot even park in the car park. One could say that is only one part of the problem but when the teachers are dedicated to nurturing their students both in terms of the subjects they teach and the extracurricular subjects, it is very disheartening for them to have to do that in a cramped environment that has major health and safety implications.

As we know from the documentation we were presented with from Monasterevin, in 2004, the Department said the school was structurally unsound. That was 14 years ago, and the school has almost twice the number of students now. It has two cubicles for almost 200 boys. One can imagine the impact of that on the young men and their parents, who have said their sons are afraid to go to the toilet during the school day. That adds its own level of frustration in addition to the physical aspect.

There are many elements in the submissions the witnesses have presented. I know the entire school community feels very let down in respect of commitments that have been made.

My next question is to do with all the schools. Mr. Bergin asked a specific question about having a dedicated project manager, something we will put to the Department later. I would like to hear the witnesses' experience of dealing with a dedicated project manager on all the issues. We accept that issues sometimes come into play regarding planning, pipelines, as we know in terms of Irish Water, and so on. However, once those are dealt with, I refer to other unavoidable delays that occur for which there is not a proper explanation and the issue of communication is crucial. That was touched on previously regarding the timely communications the school would receive from the Department. The witnesses also deal with the board, the school community and parents and it is crucial for them to be able to respond to all of those on the specifics in a timely and informed manner.

I will revert to the witnesses and they can make comments. There will be an opportunity for everybody else to come in again at that point. Who wishes to respond first?

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