Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I sincerely thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this important issue. I am pleased the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy Seán Haughey, is in the Chamber and I note the point he made concerning the frailties of the Adjournment debate processes. However, I raise this issue today with great desperation. I have come to the House on other occasions to raise serious issues concerning schools building programmes. Only two weeks ago, the Ceann Comhairle allowed me to raise an issue with regard to the building programme of the Holy Rosary national school in Ballycragh. This is a completely different situation. This concerns a job, granted to the community, but which has not been satisfactorily completed. I realise the Minister of State has come to the House with a prepared response, which is fair enough. However, I express to him my complete frustration as far as this issue is concerned.

Ard Mhuire national school in Belgard, Tallaght, was opened in 1977 by the then Minister for Education, Mr. John Wilson. It has provided an excellent educational service to the local community in my parish over the years. Currently, it has an enrolment of 298 pupils under a very progressive principal, Mr. Pat Keogh, and an excellent board. We have been able to deliver real progress for the school in recent times.

Time has moved on since the school opened and the school building has aged. Some €1 million was spent on a new roof, which was a tremendous project. The current project, which is the subject of my matter today, cost €3.2 million. That represents excellent progress for my local school and I welcome it. However, the project has not worked. It was to redesign the school, providing it with a modern upgrade and catering for a new intake. The main construction company was Midland Construction.

I raised this issue with the Department several times last Autumn. In October last year, the Department, at the level of assistant secretary, acknowledged there were difficulties between the school and the contractor. At that stage, the Department pointed out that while the school board was refusing to pay moneys to the contractor on foot of certificates issues by the consulting architects, because it believed that there was a breach of contract, it impressed upon the school board the need to honour the contract. I believe the school has acted in good faith. It came to an agreement through negotiation in November following a meeting with the senior architect and other parties. An agreed list was to be implemented, including the insulation in the ceilings, shelving in the library, a sink unit in the remedial room in block C, the repair of noticeboards, concrete steps to the boiler house, double-flush unit toilets, the lowering of the hatch to the entrance, blinds and several other issues on a very extensive snag list.

I understand the board held an emergency meeting this week and is very unhappy, angered and frustrated with the current situation. The board is now informing the local Deputies for the area, on behalf of whom I represent the matter today, that it wishes the work to be completed to the satisfaction of the school community. It demands this work is done now by a new contractor. There is no question that we should be supportive of the board of Ard Mhuire School to ensure that all essential works are now completed, taking into account health and safety considerations. I call on the Minister to ensure this takes place. The Minister will probably inform me that departmental officials are working with the school authorities. While I do not deny this is the case, completion of this project could be a good news story in a parish in my constituency. However, the board of the school has been messed about and does not know where to turn. I appeal to the Minister of State to bring this matter to the attention of his senior colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. The Minister should assign to a senior official the task of finding out the reason the response to the school, which has acted properly, has not been satisfactory.

I am depending on the Minister of State to take an interest in this important issue. State money has been expended on this matter. The Scoil Ard Mhuire community was pleased with the many announcements made on its building project but now requires effective action.

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