Diary of a forgotten schoolhouse

After a 12-year campaign, they are still waiting for a decent school at Blennerville, Co Kerry. Their case is sadly typical of how the hopes of school communities are raised, then dashed

ST BRENDAN'S National School appears to fit right into Blennerville, a quaint, pretty village on the outskirts of Tralee. The school building dates back to 1932. It's pleasing to the eye with its white walls and slate roof. You have to look closely to see the patchwork of slates, evidence of many roof repair jobs and it's only as you reach the building itself that you notice the boxy prefabricated buildings on the left. A walk around the back reveals the other prefabs that make up the rest of the school.

In 1996, the school was attended by just over 80 students. "The building was in very bad repair and I knew that our school population was going to increase, so we applied for a new school building," explains principal Michael O'Connor.

Twelve years on, they are still waiting. The school is a success story despite the hardship. There is an obvious rapport between staff and students. Despite the lack of facilities, the school has won national drama and science competitions.

O'Connor is proud of his staff and how they manage to cope, but his frustration is palpable. "You have no idea how much of my time and energy and everyone else's time and energy has gone into this over the past 12 years," he says. "Schools have been leapfrogged over us time and time again. We don't have a minister in this constituency and that's at the heart of it."

A 12-YEAR LONG AND WINDING ROAD - DIARY OF A BUILDING PROJECT

September 1996

Number of students: 80-plus. An application is made for a new school building

O'Connor: "I became principal here that year. I looked around me and I knew that this old building with four small classrooms and two toilets was not going to bring us into the future.

We considered building on an extension first. But we would have been stuck with those toilets, the timbers are old and the roof isn't insulated. All we had was the site so building on an extension would have meant losing the yard altogether."

After some discussions with the local inspector, it was agreed that an extension was not feasible. A decision was made to apply for a new school.

July 1997

A buildings inspector from the Department of Education calls to the school

OConnor: "He took one look and agreed that an extension would be a waste of time. He said a new building was needed."

With the backing of the buildings inspector, as well as the local schools inspector and his own board of management, O'Connor waited for the next step to begin. He waited, and he waited.

January 2000-January 2002

A new school building is granted. The Office of Public Works (OPW) is charged with looking for a suitable site. During this time, two prefabs are placed on school grounds to cope with the growing numbers of students.

O'Connor: "Don't think we sat on our laurels for three years waiting on a response to our application. We called, we chased people, we rattled every cage. Eventually, we got a letter in April 2000 granting us a six-classroom school."

It was now four years after the initial decision, and O'Connor was anxious to get a new building started. "I remember asking the people in the building unit when we could expect to have the school. I was shocked to hear that it was expected to take three years."

Spring 2002

The OPW contacts the school about looking for a suitable site

"Two years later, the OPW contacted us, but the problem is, there was nothing happening. We had been campaigning and campaigning and campaigning, and nothing. There were two possible sites for the new school but we heard nothing."

Sept 2003-July 2004

No word from the OPW. The school is forced to close down after a rat is found in the building. The INTO, having been aware of the case through the intervening years, orders a safety audit for the school.

O'Connor: "That health and safety report was a damning, damning document.''

The engineer concluded that the amount of space for children and teachers was woefully inadequate and dangerous in the event of an evacuation. Toilet facilities, as well as the general building structure, were criticised harshly.

Sept 2004-July 2005

The school windows have become unsafe and need to be replaced. The Department refuses funding, so they raise money and do it themselves. Still no word from the OPW, until a political intervention prompts the organisation to advertise for a site.

It wasn't until a chance encounter at a conference in Mullingar that a breakthrough was achieved. O'Connor gave a politician a lift in his car.

He recalls: "I asked him if he knew anyone in the OPW. He said he did. I told him our story and asked him to put a call in. I was afraid we were going to lose the second site at this stage. He said: 'If you don't hear from the OPW within the week, give me a call.'"

"Sure enough within the week someone contacted us and an advertisement for sites was put in the paper. That's what you're dealing with."

Sept 2005-July 2006

Number of students: 141. The OPW finally purchases a site for a new school behind the existing school. The first structure on the new site is another prefab. On St Patrick's Day, the roof blows off the toilets in the old building.

O'Connor: "We had to fix that. But at least with the site bought, we thought that signalled some intention to begin."

Sept 2006-July 2007

Finally, go-ahead is given to build a new eight-classroom school and a design team is to be appointed. In the meantime, another prefab is put on the new school site.

Things were finally looking up. O'Connor remembers: "We got a letter inviting the chairman of the board and myself up to Tullamore. We were told the money was there under the National Development Plan and they wanted to proceed without delay."

The Department had bought the site for the new building, as well as the site on which the school currently operates. O'Connor was told that they were going to advertise for a design team who would oversee the building of a new school. Delighted, the board of management opted for the generic design for an eight-classroom school. At last, things were under way.

Sept 2007

The school is informed that the advertisement to recruit a design team is in position. The design team will oversee the building project.

O'Connor: "We were wondering whether things would be underway before Christmas. I checked that there wouldn't be any planning issues and was told there would be no problems. I thought we were home and dry. At last, after 11 years and so much head-banging and meeting and calling and phoning."

November 2007

O'Connor rings to see whether a design team has been appointed. He is told that applications are in, but nobody has been appointed yet.

He wasn't unduly concerned, having heard that a hold had been put on various projects until the Budget was announced.

December 2007

The cold shoulder.

The Budget having been released, O'Connor began calling the department for some clarification. But none was forthcoming, despite numerous calls. "Even our own local TD was avoiding us."

January 2008

Desperate measures in desperate times.

Eventually, O'Connor's secretary calls the Department and refused to hang up the phone. After about 10 minutes, she is told that their building project is suspended- indefinitely.

November 2008

Number of students: 168. Number of teachers: eight (six mainstream, one resource and one learning support). Number of classrooms: four. Number of prefabs: four. Amount of money spent on maintenance last year: €17,000

A vague offer has been made to build a school by means of a public-private partnership. But there are few details forthcoming.

O'Connor now believes it is the only hope. "We're told nothing. There could be something in the Budget for us this year, but nobody tells us anything.''

Into the future

With pupil numbers rising, the school is set to get another teacher in 2010.

O'Connor: "The Department wonders why we can't you put on another temporary classroom. That's their answer for everything. It has been 12 years of chasing and calling and campaigning. We were an urgent and necessary case this time last year. Today, our situation is worse. Our project was urgent and necessary. Now it is suspended indefinitely. It is galling."