Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Gabhaim buíochas as an seans a bheith agam an t-ábhar seo a phlé. Tá mé ag caint faoin ghéarghá le freagra dearfach ar iarratas an chomhairle bainistíochta Gaelscoil Dara, An Rinn Mhór, cathair na Gaillimhe. An rud atá fíor-phráinneach anois ná buan-chóiríocht a chur ar fáil don scoil. Tá an scoil ann le 21 bliain agus ag an phointe seo, fiú go bhfuil a lán litreacha curtha go dtí an Roinn, níl sé soiléir an bhfuil suíomh aimsithe aici, cá bhfuil an suíomh aimsithe, cé mhéid acra atá ag baint leis agus cén toradh a bhí ar na cainteanna idir an Roinn agus na Bráithre Carthanachta.

Tá mé ag cur na gceisteanna seo toisc go bhfuil na tuismitheoirí, múinteoirí agus na daltaí ag cur suas le caighdeán scolaíochta nach bhfuil ceart le níos mó ná 20 bliain. Tá freagra dearfach ag teastáil ón bhord bainistíochta, ón phríomhoide, ó na múinteoirí agus ó na tuismitheoirí ar na nithe a luaigh mé. Cathain a bheidh an suíomh aimsithe? Cé mhéad acra atá ag baint leis? An bhfuil sé aimsithe ag an Roinn go bhfuil le suíomh trí acra a oireann do 16 múinteoir nó an bhfuil suíomh níos lú ná sin i gceist?

I raise this matter because it concerns Gaelscoil Dara. Its pupils have put up with temporary accommodation for 22 years. The parents, teachers, children and board of management should not have to wait any longer for an answer to definite questions. What potential sites in Galway were examined by the Department of Education and Science? What conclusions did it draw, what decisions did it arrive at, what decisions remain to be taken and what is the size of the site under discussion? Is it three acres and is it suitable for 16 teachers? Is it less than three acres? Where is it located? Can the board of management have access to the maps and details of the site under discussion? When will the final decision be taken in respect of this necessary school?

What will happen if, for example, more than one site has been examined? Mention has been made of the site held by the Brothers of Charity. If another site is being examined, such as the site owned by the Galway Institute of Technology, what is the position in respect of both sites, their scale and the timescale for delivery? If there are any further technical difficulties, as has been mentioned in correspondence about this school, what are they? When can we look forward to their resolution? This matter is of the utmost urgency. It has dragged on for almost all of my years as a Deputy representing Galway West. It concerns the provision of a proper and permanent home for this gaelscoil, which makes such an outstanding contribution to language, culture and basic education in Galway city.

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Ar dtús, is mian liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Teachta as an ábhar seo a ardú mar go dtugann sé deis dom míniú a thabhairt ar straitéis an Rialtais maidir le hinfheistiú caipitiúil i dtionscadail oideachais agus, ina theannta sin, achoimre a dhéanamh ar an staid reatha i ndáil le cóiríocht bhuan a sholáthar do Ghaelscoil Dara, Co. na Gaillimhe.

Mar gheall ar an easpa maoinithe atá déanta sa réimse seo le tamall fada de bhlianta, agus freisin ar an ngá le freastal ar riachtanais nua i limistéir ina bhfuil ráta ard fáis i dtaca leis an daonra de, níl sé furasta athchóiriú a dhéanamh ar na saoráidí sna 3,300 bunscoil agus 750 scoil iar-bhunoideachais atá ann. Dá ainneoin sin, tá sé léirithe ag an Rialtas ó chuaigh sé i mbun oifige go bhfuil rún daingean acu feabhas a chur ar bhail ár gcuid foirgneamh scoile agus a chinntiú go bhfuil na saoráidí cuí ann chun gur féidir curaclam leathan cothrom a chur i ngníomh.

Mar fhianaise ar an rún daingean sin, beidh tuairim is 1,300 tionscadal foirgníochta agus athchóirithe ar siúl inár gcuid bunscoileanna agus scoileanna iar-bhunoideachais le linn na bliana 2006. I mbliana, tá thart ar €500 milliún á chaitheamh ar na tionscadail bhunoideachais agus iar-bhunoideachais ar fud na tíre i gcomparáid le tuairim is €90 milliún sa bhliain 1997.

Tá mé cinnte go n-aontóidh an Teachta gurb ionann an leibhéal seo infheistíochta, nach raibh a leithéid ann roimhe seo, agus comhartha dearfach ar an ardtosaíocht a thugann an Rialtas don earnáil seo. Chun laghdú a dhéanamh ar mhaorlathas agus chun gur féidir tionscadail a chur i gcrích ar shlí níos tapúla, tá an fhreagracht as tionscadail bheaga tugtha do scoileanna. Tá dearthaí caighdeánacha forbartha freisin le haghaidh scoileanna ina bhfuil ocht gcinn, agus 16, de sheomraí ranga ionas gurb éasca tionscadail a chur i gcrích ar shlí níos tapúla agus chun coigilteas a dhéanamh i dtaca le táillí dearthóireachta.

Maidir leis an ábhar sonrach lena mbaineann an cheist, is bunscoil chomhoideachais í Gaelscoil Dara agus 269 ndalta ar an rolla inti faoi láthair. Is é atá i líon na foirne san fhadtéarma, faoi mar atá cinnte ag an Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta ná Príomhoide móide 16 chúntóir príomhshraithe móide foireann chuí fhoghabhálach.

Tá an Roinn ar bhonn gníomhach ag iarraidh láithreán a aimsiú don scoil. Rinneadh pléití leis an Roinn maidir leis na féidearthachtaí a bhaineann le láithreán atá ar an gcampas láithreach a cheannach — ar láithreán é a úsáideann na Bráithre Carthanachta faoi lathair.

Chun dul chun cinn a dhéanamh maidir le láithreán a áirithiú do Ghaelscoil Dara, rinne an Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta iniúchadh teicniúil ar láithreáin ionchasacha i mí Iúil i mbliana. Tá pléití leanúnacha ar siúl ag an Roinn leis na Bráithre Carthanachta i ndáil leis an láithreán atá acusan ach níl an measúnú ar an láithreán sin críochnaithe fós. Ag féachaint don éileamh ar sholáthar oideachais sa limistéar seo, samhláitear go gcríochnófar an próiseas measúnaithe a luaithe is féidir.

Is féidir leis an Teachta a bheith cinnte go bhfuiltear ag déileáil le riachtanais bhuanchóiríochta Ghaelscoil Dara chomh tapaidh agus is féidir agus go ndéanfar soláthar foirgnimh bhuain don scoil a chur ar aghaidh i gcomhthéacs an Chláir um Athchóiriú agus Foirgníochta Scoileanna 2006-2010, tar éis an láithreán a bheith faighte. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Teachta arís as an ábhar seo a ardú.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Leas-Chean Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter. I previously raised this issue on the Adjournment on 28 April 2005 and have raised it with the Minister during Question Time on a number of occasions since then, but to no avail. Despite welcoming the Minister of State, I am disappointed the Minister for Education and Science is not here this evening. It reflects the interest in this subject. At least a Minister of State from the Department should be here.

The present enrolment at Scoil Eoin, Balloonagh, is 614 students. Of those students, 54% are accommodated in prefabricated buildings which are 20 years old. That amounts to 331 students. A further 24% of the students, more than 147 children, are accommodated in a building built 46 years ago which has never been modernised. A further 22% of the students, or 135 children, are accommodated in a building between 86 and 116 years old. That building has never been modernised either.

In 2000, it was agreed the long-term accommodation needs for Scoil Eoin would be to provide accommodation for a staffing of principal plus 22 mainstream teachers and ancillary staff. In 2001, the Department commissioned a feasibility study, which was carried out by Healy & Partners, Limerick. Five options for a rebuild were proposed. A meeting was held in Tullamore on 26 September 2002 between Department officials and the board of management to discuss the options. Unfortunately, despite the urgency of the situation, no further development of the project has taken place.

One of the main reasons for a rebuild is to accommodate all students in one permanent modern building. The Tuairisc Scoile report of 1999 concluded:

The school has been carefully maintained and looked after and is indeed a credit to all who have had responsibility for its upkeep. However, there is need here for a major improvement in accommodation. It is anticipated that the adjacent post-primary school will move to new premises within a few years. This would facilitate a re-development of this important educational centre to provide modern classroom facilities, better entrance and parking arrangements, and overall refurbishment of the existing accommodation.

In 2000, a report on the mechanical and electrical services in Scoil Eoin, commissioned by the Department of Education and Science, reached the following conclusion. I want to emphasise this because it is a major health and safety issue and an argument for the provision of a new school at Scoil Eoin:

We believe it is of paramount importance to install a completely new electrical system in the entire school complex. The present electrical system falls very much short of the requirements of current electrical regulations. A new electrical system is the most satisfactory way in which the safety and integrity of the electrical services at the school can be guaranteed and in which the school will have an electrical system which complies with current stringent ETCI, RECI and ESB regulations.

Department of Education and Science planning guidelines for primary schools recommend a minimum area of 76 sq. m, made up of 70 sq. m for teaching and wet play area and 6 sq. m for two toilet cubicles. None of the permanent classrooms in the school meets these criteria in area or en-suite facilities.

The energy rating of the school does not reach minimum standards. ESB and heating bills at Scoil Eoin are exorbitant. Evidence of this is available from the principal on request. Maintenance costs are also mounting due to the ageing structure. The ESB bill, which does not include oil, is approximately €3,500 every month. The building has no insulation and is completely outdated.

The issue of parking provision and set-down areas at the school must be addressed urgently as the volume of traffic outside Scoil Eoin has increased dramatically in recent times. Due to the fact the school is divided into five different buildings, it is difficult to keep cohesion between staff and students. In winter months the buildings are cold. Conditions are particularly miserable in wet weather because the school has so many external doors and students and staff must travel between buildings throughout the day.

I hope the Minister of State will state more than the information I was given in April 2005. I want definite news for the principal, the board of management, the parents, the teachers and particularly for the children. This will be a case for the Ombudsman and the courts unless the Department of Education and Science is prepared to act.

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank Deputy Deenihan for raising this matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and also to outline the position regarding Scoil Eoin, Tralee.

Modernising facilities in our 3,200 primary and 750 post-primary schools is not an easy task given the legacy of decades of under-investment in this area as well as the need to respond to emerging requirements in areas of rapid population growth. Nonetheless, since taking office the Government has shown focused determination to improve the condition of our school buildings and ensure the appropriate facilities are in place to enable the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum.

As evidence of this commitment approximately 1,300 building and modernisation projects will be active in our primary and post-primary schools during 2006. This year alone, approximately €500 million will be spent on primary and post-primary projects throughout the country, compared to approximately €90 million in 1997. I am sure the Deputy will agree this record level of investment is a positive testament to the high priority the Government attaches to this sector.

Turning to the specific matter in hand, Scoil Eoin, Balloonagh is designated an all-girls' primary school which caters for infant boys to first class. The school had a September 2005 enrolment of 608 pupils. The September 2006 enrolment has yet to be confirmed in the October returns to the Department of Education and Science. However, I understand enrolments are stable at this school.

The school authority applied to the Department of Education and Science to relocate to the adjacent secondary school campus which became vacant with the opening of the new secondary school at Mounthawk. When the application was initially assessed in the Department it was agreed the long-term accommodation needs for Scoil Eoin would be to provide——

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

With all due respect, this is the same reply I received in 2005. It is exactly the same. I know it is not the Minister of State's fault.

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Allow the Minister of State to reply without interruption.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It is the same reply I received in April 2005. It is almost the exact same wording.

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

When the application was initially assessed in the Department it was agreed the long-term accommodation needs for Scoil Eoin would be to provide accommodation for a staffing of principal plus 22 mainstream teachers plus ancillary staff. A feasibility study was received which outlines a number of options for the future development of Scoil Eoin. To ensure the appropriate level of accommodation is provided, the Department is re-assessing the long-term projected staffing figure on which accommodation needs will be based. Once the long-term projected staffing figure is agreed, a technical visit of the site and buildings will be carried out by Department officials with a view to determining how best to deliver the required accommodation. As soon as a decision is taken on the best solution to meet the school's current and future accommodation needs, the project will be progressed in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2006-10.

I thank the Deputy for providing me with the opportunity to outline the position on this particular school project and to highlight the enormous work undertaken by the Department of Education and Science in implementing the school building and modernisation programme to ensure infrastructure of the highest standard is available for all our schoolgoing population.