Fine Gael calls on Government to Deliver on Promised School for St Paul’s

PRESS RELEASE

Fine Gael calls on Government to Deliver on Promised School for St Paul’s
 
St Paul’s School Ratoath unlikely to open before 2010, despite funding promise in 2006
 
May 7, 2008 –Fine Gael has called on the government to honour its commitment to provide permanent accommodation for St Paul’s National School, Ratoath.

Despite the fact that the government approved funding for St Paul’s National School eighteen months ago — in the run-up to a general election — it has made no progress on its completion, beyond specifying the number and type of classrooms needed. Despite the best efforts of school management, delays in the Department of Education has meant that there has been no progress on the design, planning, tender or construction of the school.

When questioned by Meath East TD Shane McEntee at the end of April, Education Minister Mary Hanafin declined to provide a completion date for the school.

Most worryingly is Minister Hanafin’s statement that “progress on this building project will be considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation programme.”

“Why would progress depend on the School Building and Modernisation programme, when funding has already been allocated to St Paul’s under this programme back in November, 2006?” asked Fine Gael councillor Charles Bobbett. “The minister needs to confirm that funding for the school has not been slashed as part of government cutbacks.”

“The government has done almost nothing on this issue over the past 18 months,” said Charles Bobbett. “It is clear from Minister Hanafin’s plan to provide additional temporary buildings in 2008 that construction will not begin in 2008 and that the school will not be complete by the end of 2009.”

“St Paul’s Ratoath is a prime example of a government which is unable to deliver the most basic infrastructure to its citizens, despite having enormous resources at its disposal,” said Charles Bobbett.
 
ENDS
 
For more information contact:
 
Charles Bobbett                    
Councillor                            
Fine Gael                              
charlesbobbett (at) yahoo.com
  087-1268135                         
 
Notes to Editor
 
Parliamentary Question Posed by Shane McEntee, T.D.
 
Uimhir:328
Ceist Pharlaiminte
Chun an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíoctha
To the Minister for Education and Science

To ask the Minister for Education and Science when construction work will commence and the timeframe for the completion of the project at a school (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Shane McEntee.
 
St Paul’s National School, Ratoath
 
* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 29th April, 2008.
Reference Number: 15945/08
 
Freagra
 
Minister for Education and Science (Mary Hanafin, T.D.)
 
The Department has received an application for a new building from the school
referred to by the Deputy. Schedules of Accommodation for the proposed new
school have now been agreed with the school authorities and progress on this
building project will be considered in the context of the multi-annual School
Building and Modernisation programme.
 
The school has received approval for additional temporary accommodation to
cater for its immediate needs for the coming school year 2008/09.
 
Jargon-Buster: A “Schedule of Accommodation” is a list of the number and type of rooms that will be required for the new school. Once this has been completed, the project can proceed to the design, planning, tendering and construction phases.
 
Timeline for St Paul’s School
 
September, 2005: St Paul’s National School opens in temporary accommodation.
November, 2006: Minister Hanafin announces that funding for a new school for St Paul’s has been approved under the School Building and Modernisation programme. (http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/pbu_announced_arctplan_08_nov_06.htm)
(Link now moved to here: http://www.education.ie/robots/view.jsp?pcategory=10861&language=EN&ecategory=40280&link=link001&doc=33322)

July, 2007: Board of Management applies for planning permission (DA/70277) for four new temporary classrooms for the 2007 – 2008 school year.
March, 2008: Board of Management applies for planning permission for another four temporary classrooms for the 2008 – 2009 school year.
April 29, 2008: In a reply to Shane McEntee, TD, Minister Hanafin says that her department has not made any progress beyond agreeing how many classes are needed and declined to provide a completion date for the new school.