James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for affording me time to discuss this important matter, namely, the need for the Minister for Education and Science, to provide additional funding for Colehill national school, a rural school, probably the largest in County Longford, for sewerage treatment replacement works, traffic management installations and fire safety certificate requirements, such as access roadway for fire tenders to the rear of school and a 30,000 gallon water storage tank for fire fighting.

Colehill national school is grateful to the Department of Education and Science for the funding it has received to date. However the outstanding works required by this school are essential to the health and safety of its pupils. The burden of these works has been imposed by necessity and by the requirements of Longford County Council. I am aware that the sewerage upgrade has been applied for under the summer works scheme 2009 and I would be much obliged if the Minister could confirm that this scheme will go ahead as planned this year.

However, of particular concern to me is the issue of fire safety requirements. Longford County Council is right to enforce measures for the protection of the pupils of this school in respect of fire regulations. However, the money is simply not there to provide the necessary facilities. The school is currently facing a bill of €189,196.67 for additional infrastructure. The items arising due to fire safety certificate requirements have been costed at €39,725.00 for a 30,000 gallon static tank for fire-fighting due to the inadequacy of the group water scheme in terms of volume and pressure and €16,591.92 for the provision of an access roadway for fire tenders to the rear of the school.

The foul water sewerage treatment system replacement works will require an outlay of €53,345.00. The existing septic tank and percolation area overflows into the playing fields approximately twice a year, which is a significant health and hygiene hazard. The cost of revised bus and car set-down areas, including parking, as required by Longford County Council has been costed at €68,214.75. Such vehicular access provision has a direct impact on pedestrian safety which is of the utmost importance in a school environment.

The overall cost of the works at Colehill school is €680,449.40, with €360,000 already received from the Department and this is much appreciated. The school is left with a deficit, in total of €320,449.40 in funding. Nevertheless the school has proceeded with the project and is actively fund-raising for which I compliment the principal, Bríd Lynn and the other teachers, the board of management and the parents for taking the initiative to go ahead with a project in the interests of safety but the money is not there to pay for it. However given the small local population and current financial climate, Colehill national school would be grateful for any additional funding to meet health and safety requirements. We have all read stories of fires that went rapidly out of control due to inadequate fire-fighting facilities. We cannot afford to put the lives of our children at risk in any way.

I ask the Minister for Education and Science to consider the problems facing this school and to see fit to assist it to meet all of the safety requirements of Longford County Council in regard to safety and health issues. I would appreciate a positive response to this Adjournment matter. The need for health and safety in our schools and in other environments where the public congregate cannot be emphasised often enough. It is important from a health and safety point of view that funding be made available. The principal has taken the initiative but it has to be paid for somehow.

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, Minister for Education and Science, who could not be in attendance.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me an opportunity of outlining to the House the position of the Department of Education and Science regarding the allocation of funding for St. Sinneach's national school, Colehill, County Longford and the operation of the Department's devolved permanent accommodation scheme.

The management authorities of this school applied for and were approved for funding under the 2007 permanent accommodation scheme. A grant of €360,000 was sanctioned to enable the provision of an extension consisting of three classrooms. The school had an enrolment of 167 pupils at September 2008 and a mainstream staffing of a principal and five assistant teachers. The general position is that the Department moved towards a model of devolving funding, responsibility and authority as appropriate for smaller building projects-refurbishments directly to school management authorities in 2003 with the introduction, on a pilot basis, of the devolved small schools and permanent accommodation schemes. Due to the positive feedback from schools the schemes were extended to include additional schools in subsequent years.

The permanent accommodation scheme allows boards of management to address their accommodation and building priorities with a guaranteed amount of funding and gives boards of management control of the building project.

The intention of the scheme is to provide funding to schools to enable them to undertake desired building projects. The scheme is not intended to leave schools with significant fund-raising needs but for the school to tailor the scope of capital works commissioned to the available funding. A central tenet of the scheme is that the schools granted discretion and funding must equally accept responsibility for prioritisation, adherence to statutory regulations, control of costs and ensuring value for money. The decision on whether to continue participating in the scheme or to drop out, if the scope of build is more than the funding envelope permits, is a matter for each school authority.

The authorities of the Colehill school accepted the grant offer and returned a form of undertaking agreeing to comply with the requirements of the scheme. Following the tendering process the school's building proposals would cost over €220,000 in excess of the €360,000 on offer to the school. The school requested that the shortfall be funded by the Department.

This request for significant additional funding was considered in the Department. However, in line with the original intention of the permanent accommodation scheme, it was considered that the school should be encouraged to complete the project within the funding envelope provided and, accordingly, the application for additional grant aid was not granted.

In the current economic climate and with considerable demands on the capital budget of the Department, it is not possible to entertain such significant increases in the amounts grant aided to schools. It is the responsibility of the school authorities to manage the resources allocated to them to ensure maximum value for money and to control costs. The board of management should take the necessary steps to ensure that the scope of the works undertaken matches the funding being allowed. The Minister for Education and Science regrets that the response is not more favourable on this occasion, but it is important that the Department ensures that grant aid is managed prudently.

As the Deputy may be aware, a total of €656 million will be spent under the Department's school building programme this year alone. It is important to ensure that costs are kept under control in the construction of school buildings and that those responsible ensure that value for money is achieved for the taxpayer. This will ensure the completion of the maximum number of projects from within the funds available to the Department for the school building programme under the current national development plan.

This school also made an application under the deferred 2008 summer works scheme for funding. The Minister for Education and Science intends to have a summer works scheme this year. The level of funding to be made available for the 2009 scheme is being considered. In the meantime, applications submitted for the summer works scheme in 2008, including the application from Colehill national school, are currently being assessed and the schools will be notified of the outcome of this assessment in due course. The professional and technical reports provided by schools for 2008 can be used again for future projects so that schools will not be at the loss of expenditure on them.

I again thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity of outlining the current position to the House.