Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

I attended Dromclough national school in Listowel and have retained a strong interest in its fortunes ever since. The number of enrolments continues to increase because it is an excellent school with an excellent principal and staff. In April 2002, on the advice of an inspector, the school board of management made an application for an extension. In January 2003, an application was made for a major refurbishment and extension. In January 2006, a letter was received from the Department of Education and Skills indicating that construction of eight classrooms was approved and that a technical team would visit the school shortly. Five years later no such visit has taken place to advance the project to the next stage.

On 6 December 2007, I raised the same issue on the Adjournment. On that occasion, after outlining all the investment that has been made in the provision of school buildings throughout the State, the then Minister of State, Deputy Pat Carey, noted that Dromclough is a co-educational primary school with an enrolment of 194 pupils. That number has now increased to 200, from a figure of 164 in 2001. The school has a current staffing of a principal, seven mainstream assistants and three learning and support resource teachers. I made the point that the school had to convert a toilet into an office to accommodate the teachers. I am very familiar with the size of the classrooms and staffroom. The parents, children and staff really coped with the circumstances but those circumstances are very unfair.

The Minister of State, Deputy Seán Haughey, stated:

The school has submitted an application to the Department for an extension and the long-term staffing figure on which accommodation needs will be based has been determined and notified to the school authority. It has been agreed that appropriate accommodation should be provided to cater for a long-term projected staffing of principal, eight mainstream assistants and [...] appropriate ancillary accommodation.

The next step is to carry out a technical investigation of the existing building and site to determine their suitability. When this inspection has been completed the project will be progressed in the context of the school building and modernisation programme.

This has simply not happened.

Recently a serious issue arose because wheelchair access to the school could not be provided. The school must be one of the few in the country that has no wheelchair access. The school is a polling booth at election time and this will present access difficulties at the next general election, which will be quite soon. There were serious water leaks at the school recently and there was a problem with the power supply. Other problems arose also.

Some time ago the INTO submitted to the Department a list of some 150 schools in a very bad state of repair. Over time, it has discussed these schools and has tried to advance their cases. Some 120 schools have been taken off the list and there are just 30 left. The staff of Dromclough national school are asking what the building section of the Department of Education and Skills has against the school, including its 200 pupils, eight staff and ancillary staff. It is very hard to understand its reasoning. I would deeply appreciate it if the Minister for Health and Children would, in the dying days of this Government, shed some light on the procrastination over the school. I know she would respond positively to my request if the matter were totally in her hands. The circumstances of the school seem to be totally unfair. Schools that were below Dromclough national school on the list have been built but the Dromclough project has not been progressed. Perhaps we will receive an answer this evening.

See this speech in context