Mr. Kitt: I wish to share my time with Senator Ulick Burke. I refer to Brierfield national school, near Tuam, County Galway. I am glad the school is listed on the schools building programme but the board of management of the school hoped it would be included as a pilot project or covered by what is known as the devolved grant scheme. I have visited the school on a number of occasions and it is in very bad condition. I welcome the fact that many schools in east Galway are on the list for the devolved scheme although this school is not.

There are 64 students, three teachers and three classrooms in the school. There are also three visiting teachers – two resource teachers and a learning support teacher. Even though the school purchased a portacabin last year, space is still a huge problem. The resource teacher and the principal have to use the hall, as there is no staff room, and students must also use outside toilets. It is time the school was included in the devolved programme. The board of management was so keen to get the school included in that scheme that it suggested having the scheme in two phases.

Under the devolved programme, if a certain amount of money could be given to the school it could do as much as it could with it. The phases I refer to involve the outside toilets and a staff room or room for the principal. When the principal has what are called "principal's days" he must use the hall, which is appalling.

I am told the school is in band 3, which means it is not in the emergency or serious bands, bands 1 and 2. Other schools with facilities which are not as bad have received the devolved grant or been included in the pilot programme, but I hope the Minister of State agrees that any school with outside toilets needs refurbishment as badly as schools in bands 1 and 2.

I hope the Minister of State can tell me what the Department of Education and Science plans to do about this, as I would love if he or someone from the Department visited this school. I am visiting it again tomorrow to explain what is happening and I would love a devolved grant or pilot scheme grant to be given to the school to let it proceed with this urgent work. The school still has outside toilets and some form of general purpose or staff room must be provided for the principal and his staff.

Mr. U. Burke: I thank Senator Kitt for sharing his time and I wholeheartedly support him in raising this matter. It is a classic example from the lists seen recently in the media which show what the Department of Education and Science intends doing in the coming year. We welcome the projects which have received favourable consideration but to judge by the language in these categories, apart from category one we are talking about condemnation for an indefinite period for boards of management, parents, teachers and students in these schools. The students in such schools will be long gone before there is any improvement in the facilities.

It beats me how Department officials can exclude this school from the category they describe as extremely urgent and classify it as "regarded as necessary" in category three. This indicates a total lack of understanding of what it is like to teach in a school where conditions are so primitive. This is unacceptable as we head into 2004.

I support Senator Kitt's call for a reassessment of those schools listed in the horrific reports in the newspapers today where teachers are condemned to continue teaching in substandard conditions, which parents must accept, for which boards of management must take responsibility and which students must tolerate. This is not acceptable.

I ask the Minister for Education and Science to come to the House and explain the situation. We must inform him of the reality. I support Senator Kitt and appreciate his offer to share time with me. I hope the people of Brierfield receive some hope that they will get funding for improvements in order that their children can attend school in conditions similar to the best in the country.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Mr. Parlon): I thank the Senators for giving me an opportunity of outlining to the House the current position of the Department of Education and Science on the allocation of funding for school building projects. Last year, for the first time, the Department decided to publish the complete school building programme in order to give the maximum amount of information to all of the partners in education – students, parents, teachers and management bodies.

The programme announced for 2004 is a further step in progressing the Government's consistent commitment to deal with school accommodation needs. It details in excess of 170 significant school building projects being authorised to proceed to tender and construction in 2004. The two pilot initiatives – the small and rural pilot initiative and the permanent accommodation initiative – have proved promising and the Department has decided to extend the schemes to include more schools in 2004. It is absolutely convinced that devolving funding, responsibility and authority to schools for smaller scale projects is the way forward. As a further initiative in that direction, last week it put in place a new devolved summer works scheme which will cater for all necessary small-scale projects that can be planned and delivered during the summer holidays.

The large-scale building project for Brierfield national school, Tuam is listed in section 9 of the 2004 school building programme. Projects listed in this section are at the early stages of architectural planning – pre-planning permission stage. The project has been assigned a band 3 rating in accordance with the published criteria for prioritising large-scale projects. The programme will be updated early in 2004 with details of how the additional €30 million funding announced in the budget will be spent.

Mr. U. Burke: That is an election promise.

Mr. Parlon: If the Senator took a more positive frame of mind and lobbied the Minister, it might be more productive.

All projects not going to construction as part of the 2004 school building programme are being reviewed with a view to including them as part of a multiannual building programme from 2005 onwards. The Department expects to be in a position to make a further announcement on the matter during 2004. The management authorities at individual schools should continue to use funds from their devolved grant to deal with any urgent health and safety matters.

I again thank both Senators for giving me the opportunity of outlining the current position.

Mr. Kitt: I would appreciate it if the Minister of State tried to have Brierfield national school included in respect of the additional funding of €30 million. It is looking for devolved funding.

An Cathaoirleach: I am sure the Minister of State will pass on the message to the Minister for Education and Science.