TWELVE temporary buildings left in a 'disgraceful' state, which house some 300 Malahide primary school pupils, were deemed to be in 'good condition and well maintained' by chaterered surveyors employed by the Department of Education last summer.

That's according to the Minister of State at the Department of Education, Seán Haughey, who revealed during a special Senate debate last week that a site report had been compiled at St Oliver Plunkett's National School in June of last year – a school two of his own children attend.

Minister Haughey was responding to a motion from Labour's Senator Brendan Ryan, who had called on the Education Minister to urgently proceed with a new building project at the school, where 31% of pupils were being taught in 'unsuitable accommodation'.

'A new school building is badly needed because it is now 15 years since the school applied for permanent accommodation,' Senator Ryan said. 'The prefabs are in a disgraceful condition.

' The walls are damp and mouldy and the bathrooms lack privacy. There is limited heat and ventilation and I understand the rate of absenteeism due to illness is higher among children taught in the prefabs than in the permanent buildings.

' There is insufficient space available for pupils and teachers and I have heard reports of rodent problems.

'Parents are quite rightly demanding action from the Education Minister. Their children deserve better.'

The department purchased the buildings in question in December, a move Senator Ryan described as 'ill-judged', adding he hoped that decision did not prevent the school from being prioritised.

Appearing on behalf of Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe, Minister Haughey said a meeting was due to take place this week between departmental officials and the board of management of the school.

' The chartered surveyors engaged by the department to assist in this process carried out a site visit at this school on June 26th, 2009 and provided the department with a report confirming that the units are in good condition and well maintained,' Minister Haughey said.

'Projects are selected on the basis of priority of need. This file is very active in the department. The project is currently at an early stage of architectural planning.'

Minister Haughey said the purchase of the buildings was part of a wider strategy and said the move from architectural planning to tendering would happen as the school building and modernisation programme was rolled out, adding it was not possible to give an indicative time-frame.

- Robin KIELY