State cannot promise funds for collapsing school

THE Government admitted yesterday there was no guarantee funding would be made available for a dilapidated Limerick school despite promises during the election.

Pupils at St Nessens Primary School in Mungret had a lucky escape on Thursday when part of the ceiling in one of the prefabs collapsed.

Despite the promise of a new school from the Tanaiste and local ministers Willie O’Dea and Tim O’Malley during the election, Mary Harney admitted yesterday she did not know when the work would begin.

During a visit to Limerick yesterday, Ms Harney said remedial works would be carried out at the 730-pupil school. Teachers and parents were told during the election that funding would be provided for the building of five new permanent classrooms as phase two of a €2.15m project.

“I understand the Office of Public Works’ officials have been at the school this morning assessing the situation. Any remedial works that need to be carried out, and clearly they do if the roof has fallen in, will be done as a matter of urgency.

“I can’t say when the new works will begin. There are a large number of schools in other parts of the country and in my own constituency which require urgent work. It is a question of trying to deal with schools on a priority basis within the resources that are available to the Minister for Education.”

Minister for Education, Noel Dempsey TD said a decision on St Nessens school will be made when he receives a full report from the Office of Public Works.

“I regret the incident that happened. St Nessens is in the Government’s school building programme and as soon as money becomes available, it will proceed like the other projects.”

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday defended the Government against criticism over the collapse of the classroom roof on top of schoolchildren in Mungret, Co Limerick.

Declining to comment on the accusation that this was yet another example of broken promises from the election, Mr Ahern merely went through the details of the work now being done at St Nessens Primary School.

Minister of State Tim O’Malley said he would be pressing the case for a new school with his Cabinet colleague Noel Dempsey.

“I am very disappointed that the project did not go ahead. The school badly needs six new classrooms and my understanding certainly was that the building would have gone ahead. After what has happened with the ceiling falling in, there is an urgent necessity to deal with this matter.”

Angry parents and teachers yesterday criticised the Government for not fulfilling their election promises.

Denise King, Chairperson of St Nessens’ Parents Association, said it was appalling that pupils and teachers in the school have now been waiting five years for proper classrooms to replace the dilapidated prefab buildings.

“A teacher and 27 pupils narrowly escaped serious injury on Thursday afternoon and we are now demanding that the Minister for Education review the school’s position on the new league table for building projects,” said Ms King.