James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for affording me time to speak on this important matter, namely, the need for the Minister for Education and Science to expedite a new school building for Forgney national school, County Longford, which was given the go-ahead in 2006, in light of the recent highly alarming engineer's report, which indicates that the 42-year old wooden pre-fab structure in which the school is accommodated is in a serious condition and in danger of collapsing. This poses a major threat to the health and safety of the pupils and teachers.

The comprehensive report was made by Cunningham Consulting Engineering Limited and has been with the Department of Education and Science and the Minister since before Christmas. The most damning and specific finding of the report is that the temporary wooden structure in which the school has been accommodated for the past 42 years should be condemned and the site closed off.

The walls and roof are rotten, cannot be replaced and are ready to collapse on the children and teachers at any moment. The windows are single glazed, the doors are a safety hazard and dampness is rife. The structure, which I would not call a building, is similar to a slatted shed and cannot be heated because the storage heaters are obsolete and cannot be controlled. It has a BER rating of G; there are no vents and there is rot and mould everywhere. The public water supply to the building is contaminated and the wooden floors are rotten and patched.

The threat posed by fire in this antiquated wooden structure is very real. The entire wooden environment is no longer sound nor sustainable. An accident is waiting to happen but I query whether it could be called an accident if it were to happen. The Minister has been alerted to the dangerous state of the school on many occasions, so ignorance is not an excuse.

Forgney national school was given the go-ahead for a new building in 2006 by the Department of Education and Science and the Minister after 40 years of lobbying but there was no follow through. I have raised this matter on the Adjournment, both here and in the other House, most recently last October. I have made repeated representations on behalf of the school, the principal, the board of management, teachers, parents and pupils and I have worked tirelessly to achieve a safe and healthy built environment.

Last year the cost of providing a new school building for Forgney was estimated at €1.3 million. A state-of-the-art school could now be built for €850,000 to €900,000. This is a small sum when contrasted with the €113 million that has been spent on pre-fabs throughout the country from 2006-2008.

The health and safety of the 33 children and teachers is my primary concern. I ask the Minister to make it his concern and to provide the necessary funding to ensure the safety and well-being of the children of this school. Should anything happen to the children in Forgney national school the finger of blame would point firmly at the Minister for Education and Science and the Department. Condemning young children in the 21st century to a 40 year old substandard wooden structure is extraordinary and extremely dangerous, even for this Government. The report by the building energy consultant, Cunningham Consulting Engineering Limited, ends as follows:

It is my professional opinion this school is no longer fit for purpose and that this has been the case for quite a considerable period of time. The only reasonable course of remedial action is demolition and replacement with a modern, well designed and constructed building for the purpose of educating growing children.

The ball is in the court of the Minister. The safety of 33 children is in the hands of the Minister. If there is not a response that this school will be built immediately, I want the Minister to meet the board of management, the principal and the parents because they are anxious and concerned at what may happen. There may be a catastrophe if action is not taken immediately.

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