Seanad debates
Wednesday, 10 December 2003
Adjournment Matters. - Schools Building Projects.
10:30 am
Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)
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I reiterate my welcome for the extra €55 million provided, between the Book of Estimates and the budget, for school buildings. I suppose it was directed more towards primary than secondary schools, but the budget allocation was for both.
The attention of the Minister for Education and Science and his Department should be drawn to the situation of Newtown Upper national school, which sometimes is also called Upper Newtown national school. It is approximately five miles up in the hills beyond Carrick on Suir, right on the Kilkenny border near the high crosses of Ahenny. It is a lovely location but also a very exposed one. The main building is in reasonably good order but the space for staff and remedial teaching is very cramped and limited. There are plans to extend a room that would double up both as office space and a remedial teaching room. The real scandal is the state of the outside toilets. There is a legitimate view that in this day and age young children should not be forced to go out in all weathers to the toilets. The issue was given major coverage, it was the main story in The Nationalist newspaper the week before last and also featured in the Irish Star.
Reading between the lines of comments made at a meeting I attended, it is clear that the INTO attaches a very high priority to the situation being remedied. The point was made at the public meeting that public schools like this, where there is a very good ethos and terrific support from parents, are not those from which the social problems of modern life emanate; they certainly have not done so from past pupils of this type of school. It is a very fine two teacher school with 36 pupils, and there was virtually a full turnout of parents at the meeting.
There is one point to be drawn to the Department's attention. The people concerned have been to the building unit and have been told there is an estimate to carry out the necessary works at a cost of €400,000. The local people believe this is by no means the most economical way of doing things and that it should not be costing that much, but sometimes things are done purely through official processes and the contractors always tend to issue a high estimate to the State. They are considering as a possible alternative proposing to obtain their own estimates, which may be cheaper for the purposes of getting the work done, would save the State money and might also help progress matters faster. A school near the Minister's own constituency, Inagh national school in Monard, did just that in the past year, ultimately with departmental approval.
In the knowledge that decisions are likely to be made in January on this subject – I appreciate that the Minister may not be in a position to give me the good news now – I would nonetheless urge the Department to consider this project as it is relatively modest in terms of overall improvement costs. The need at the school is very pressing and the children and families of the Newtown Upper national school area will only get what they deserve if the improvement works proceed.
Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am glad the Senator has given me the opportunity of outlining to this House the Department of Education and Science's current position regarding the allocation of funding for schools building projects.
The 2003 capital programme was published in January 2003 and full details of individual projects are available on the Department's website. The Department has already accepted that there is a need to provide additional accommodation for students of Newtown Upper national school. I am pleased to inform the Senator that a large-scale building project for Newtown Upper national school, Carrick on Suir, County Tipperary, is listed in section seven of the 2003 school building programme. This project is at stage two of architectural planning – developed sketch – and has been assigned a band three rating by the Department in accordance with the published criteria for prioritising large-scale projects.
The Department of Education and Science intends to publish details of the 2004 school building programme by early January at the latest. The programme will clarify what progress is planned for projects such as Newtown Upper national school, during 2004.
I thank the Senator again for giving me the opportunity of outlining the current position to this House.
Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)
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I have raised this matter on previous occasions, both in the Dáil and the Seanad. I have a copy of a statement I made on this issue in the Dáil as far back as 26 November 1997, which is over six years ago.
This school has been on the building list of the Department of Education and Science for the longest period of any school, I suppose. The application goes back 12 years. The Gaelscoil started in 1985 and has 13 teachers and 118 pupils. It has an excellent track record in education. Over two years ago the Taoiseach, Deputy Ahern, visited the school and saw at first hand the urgent necessity for a replacement school. The school is located in the community centre and seven pre-fabricated buildings. Due to the parents' financial commitments the school erected two pre-fabricated buildings recently. In June 2003 the Department of Education and Science rejected even giving a rent allowance for the two pre-fabricated buildings on the basis that they were lacking in funds.
The school has advanced to stage four and five with costings agreed. The design of the school has been agreed and a fire certificate can also be furnished. All that is required at this stage is a commitment from the Department of Education and Science to allow the school to go to tender. It is now a matter of urgency that this commitment be given. The present educational achievements have been obtained in an environment which is not conducive to educational purposes. Newcastlewest has rapidly expanded and has been approved for the decentralisation project for 50 Revenue staff. I hope the Minister, at this stage, will allow the school to proceed to tender and the much-needed new school to be erected.
Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to outline to this House the Department of Education and Science's position regarding an application from the authorities of Gaelscoil Ó Doghair, Newcastlewest, Limerick, for grant aid towards a new school building.
At present, Gaelscoil Ó Doghair has a staffing level of a principal plus eight mainstream class teachers. The enrolment at 30 September 2003 was 198.
Gaelscoil Ó Doghair's present facilities comprise two rented rooms in a community centre and five portacabins purchased by the Gaelscoil. I am pleased to inform this House that a full design team has been appointed and architectural design of the project is progressing. The Gaelscoil Ó Doghair building project is listed in section six of the 2003 school building programme, which is published on the Department's website. This proposed project is currently at stage four to five of architectural planning – detail design, bill of quantities. It has been assigned a band two rating by the Department in accordance with the published criteria for prioritising large-scale projects.
The architectural design of additional accommodation is based on nine stages. The design and planning of the project is covered by stages one to five, during which the project is developed from the assessment of site suitability, through the detailed design, including the obtaining of planning permission to the point where detailed bills of quantities are prepared.
At stage six, tenders are sought in line with public procurement procedures and subsequently a tender report is prepared and examined. Assuming that the outcome of the tender process is acceptable in terms of procurement procedures, providing value for money and that funds are available to meet construction costs, a construction contract is placed at that stage and the construction of the project begins.
Stages seven to nine cover post-contract cost control throughout the construction period, construction and practical completion of the project, including hand-over of the building to the proposed occupiers and the completion of the cost analysis in the form of the final account, ensuring that cost control was maintained.
The Department of Education and Science intends to publish details of the 2004 school building programme by early January at the latest. The programme will clarify what progress is planned for projects, such as Gaelscoil Ó Doghair national school, during 2004. I thank the Senator again for giving me the opportunity of outlining the current position to the House.
Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)
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May I ask a brief supplementary question?
Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)
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What is meant by band two? The school about which Senator Mansergh spoke was in band three. Based on that, I presume band one is higher up in the pecking order. Is that correct?
Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)
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The school authorities would dispute the fact that the school is at stage six of the process, but that is another matter.