Fresh calls have been made for a new permanent building in a Clondalkin primary school after "generations of children" have been taught in the same 30-year-old water damaged prefabs.
At Wednesday's Area Committee meeting, Independent Councillor Francis Timmons proposed a motion to ask Education Minister Norma Foley about a permanent space for St Ronan's National School. He also asked for a letter to be sent to the Department of Education on the matter.
Cllr Timmons told Dublin Live that for the last 30 years pupils and staff at St Ronan's in Deansrath have had their lessons in the prefabs which are "falling apart" due to many years of use. The school currently has 377 pupils, 34 teachers, seven SNA's and seven cleaners and ancillary staff.
Read more: Parents and TDs slam 'disgraceful' condition of prefabs at north Dublin school
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Cllr Timmons said: "I got a letter back from the Minister and she's said that they will provide a double storey temporary building. It's good news in one way, but like I said at the Area Committee Meeting, the prefabs at St Ronan's have been there for 30 years. They were a temporary solution.
"Now they're going to give us a double prefab as a temporary solution, and I'm just concerned that long-term this is going to be left there and it's going to end up the same. Prefabs don't fare well in our weather."
Cllr Timmons continued to say that having a prefab for 30 years is "a bit long" and that the school urgently needs a proper, permanent structure. He said: "I'm still calling for the Minister to build a proper structure for the school.
"The school is very willing to provide additional special needs classes, which we're crying out for at the minute. And they're willing to do that, they have the space but they need proper buildings to do it."
Cllr Timmons said that the pupils and staff at St Ronan's deserve a nice building, and that the population of Clondalkin is "still young with many families" and that they will need a bigger school in the future.
Cllr Timmons said that he is "very concerned" that the school is waiting 30 years for a permanent building, and that they need more than prefabs. He added that some of the school's prefabs can't be used because of fire damage and water damage, while other have holes in their roofs.
"The prefabs they are using are just not good quality. Teachers have teaching there in those prefabs for 30 years, that's ridiculous in this day and age."
Cllr Timmons said that St Ronan's has campaigned for years to get a permanent building. He added: "Generations of kids have gone through school in prefabs."
Dublin Live has contacted St Ronan's NS for comment. A spokesperson for the Department of Education confirmed to Dublin Live that St Ronan's has accepted an offer for additional accommodation.
The spokesperson said: "The Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from St. Ronan’s National School, Clondalkin.
"The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
"An offer for additional accommodation was recently accepted by the school authorities. This accommodation will be delivered through the Department’s Modular Framework."
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