James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for affording me time to discuss this important matter regarding the convent primary school, Rochfortbridge, County Westmeath, roll number 14603J. There is an urgent need for the Minister to reconsider the decision to suppress the eighth mainstream teacher post in the convent primary school, from September 2009. The enrolment in this school on 30 September 2008 was 206 pupils, one above the retention figure for September 2009 prior to the cutbacks announced in budget 2008. From September 2008 to January 2009, the enrolment fluctuated marginally upwards from 206 to 211 at the beginning of this year. This puts the school well above the retention figure of 207 required to retain the post for 2009 under the new guidelines. The reality of the loss of a teacher for this school, which has 42 pupils enrolled for junior infants in the new term in September, is that they will be forced to put children into multi-grade groupings of up to 31 per class.

The Rochfortbridge primary school, with rising numbers of pupils, has already outgrown its built environment, with three temporary classrooms or pre-fabs already required. The classrooms in the school are much smaller than average and incapable of holding amalgamated groupings. This poses a serious health and safety issue. This school accepts special needs children and it is obvious that those in this category in the lower classes will suffer educationally from large class groupings in the most formative years of their education.

One of the most important factors to remember is that schools such as Rochfortbridge convent primary were not built to accommodate the number of pupils that have applied for places, due to new housing developments and rising population figures that pertain today. This presents the school with a valid concern for health and safety.

I have said before about other schools in my constituency that are housed in substandard, outdated accommodation that the buck stops with the Minister and his Department and accidents caused by overcrowding and substandard buildings are directly their responsibility.

Rochfortbridge convent primary is a victim of its own success. The dedicated work of the principal, the board of management and the staff is much appreciated in the locality. It is a much sought after school serving the area and is caught in a catch-22 situation in terms of rising numbers. The school was coping well despite the limitations on space with eight mainstream teachers, but the loss of one will place it in an untenable position. It is unfair to pupils, teachers and parents to deprive this school of its most valuable educational tool - one of its much needed and highly regarded teachers.

I am asking the Minister to reconsider the educational, health and safety and child centred needs of the pupils of the convent primary school Rochfortbridge and allow it to retain this much needed teacher.

See this speech in context