Dáil debates
Thursday, 16 December 2010
Schools Building Programme
5:00 am
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for affording me the opportunity to raise this important matter. St. Joseph's secondary school in Tulla, County Clare, has had difficulties with its accommodation needs for over ten years. Various proposals have been put forward by the Department to resolve those difficulties. Some time ago, it was decided by the Department that an extension would be the most appropriate solution to resolve those accommodation needs. Given the population growth in the area and the very small site on which the school is currently housed, it is now clearly recognised that the needs of local children will not be addressed by an extension to the school. The Department should finally make a decision that the appropriate solution to this accommodation problem is a new school. I urge the Department to examine this matter in the context of work that is being done within the community. A community group called Tulla 2016 has been formed, which is working towards providing facilities in the town, including playing fields. An appropriate site has been identified which the Department has reviewed. Now is the time to invest in a school building in conjunction with the community group, thus ensuring a campus-style approach catering for all the needs of the community at the same site. There would be significant savings for the Department if it follows that route, so it should be considered in that context.
The school accommodation needs have to be addressed because during the exams earlier this year there was not enough room to accommodate the various exam centres that were required, including separate centres for children with special needs. The school has an excellent special needs programme, which was developed by the previous principal, Jim Cooney, and has been continued by the current principal, Margaret O'Brien. Those two principals have put an enormous amount of work into developing the school for a student base that is growing in line with the town's population generally. It is now high time that we sought to resolve this matter.
The school accommodation issue has been reviewed by departmental representatives who said that the current accommodation is not fit for purpose. It is a exceptionally small site with no recreational area. More than half the schoolrooms are prefabricated and many are old and in poor condition.
Were it not for the principal, the board of management and the parents, the place would be falling down. They have put a tremendous amount of effort into maintaining this very poor facility. I have reasonable knowledge of schools throughout the country, and this one is in an exceptionally bad state.
The Department has identified the need to increase the priority rating of the school. Last Easter, the Minister moved it from a priority band rating of 2.4 to 1.2. I appeal to the Minister to ask the Department of Education and Skills to include the school in the next round of proposals and to allow it to proceed towards construction. I am aware that there are a number of steps in that process and that they take time. However, it is important that we get the school on that path and get away from the notion of trying to develop the existing site. Let us draw a line under that idea and put a plan in place for the delivery of a new school to meet the needs of the pupils in this area of growing population.
John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I am happy to reply on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Mary Coughlan, who, unfortunately, cannot be present.
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the Dáil the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and to outline the current position of the application made for an extension to St. Joseph's Secondary School at Tulla in County Clare.
Modernising facilities in our existing building stock as well as the need to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth is a significant challenge. The Government has shown a consistent determination to improve the condition of our school buildings and to ensure that the appropriate facilities are in place to enable the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum.
The planning and building unit of the Department of Education and Skills assesses all applications for capital funding. The assessment process determines the extent and type of need presenting, based on the demographics of an area, proposed housing developments, condition of buildings, site capacity etc., leading ultimately to an appropriate accommodation solution. As part of this process, a project is assigned a band rating under published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. These criteria were devised following consultation with the education partners.
There are four band ratings under these criteria, each of which describes the extent of accommodation required and the urgency attaching to it. Band 1 is the highest priority rating and Band 4 is the lowest. Documents explaining the band rating system are available on the Department's website.
St. Joseph's secondary school has submitted an application for grant aid for an extension and refurbishment project. The application was assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band rating of 2.4. The school made a revised application for major capital funding in 2008 for a new building on a ten acre greenfield site. Due to rising enrolments, the current school site was considered inadequate to cater for the long-term needs of the school. In April 2010 the school's project was rebanded to 1.2 to take account of the fact that the major project will cater for special needs pupils as part of the overall brief.
The school has indicated that their preference is to have a new building constructed on a greenfield site. The Tánaiste met with a delegation from the school earlier this year and discussed the possibility of the school's trustees being willing to purchase a new site for a new school building. This issue is under consideration in the context of other demands and the funding required to construct a new school building.
The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of the Department's multi-annual school building and modernisation programme. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of the Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.
In the meantime, the school has received funding under the summer works and emergency works schemes for various works to the existing building including to the roof, windows, boiler, flooring and mechanical services.
I thank the Deputy again for giving me the opportunity to outline to the Dáil the current position regarding the school building project for St. Joseph's secondary school at Tulla in County Clare.