Staff at Donegal school ‘moving buckets around’ to ensure classrooms are available 

The roof of a west Donegal school is leaking in multiple areas with mould and damp spreading throughout the building, the Dáil has been told.

Donegal TD Pearse Doherty said Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola in Falcarragh is in dire need of emergency works.

Speaking during a topical issue debate on school accommodation, the Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Finance catalogued a series of issues at the school, which has an enrolment of 417 students, saying it’s a testament to the professionalism of the teachers that the school manages to provide an excellent education and the fact that enrollment is still increasing is testament to the excellent work done by staff.

"Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola is a school that I visited recently and is a school that, without question, is one of the most in need of immediate investment anywhere in the state," he said.

"The Government have known this for years because the Principal has submitted application after application to the department in relation to all of the issues going on in the school. 

"And I must say the staff, the principal, the team, the board of management deserve praise. I've seen the positive educational environment that has been fostered there and the excitement from the students. But they are doing that in a very difficult state in terms of the school property that they are in. 

"The problem here is this school needs not only emergency works, but there is a case for a new school building. 

"When you look at the overall work that needs to be carried out, there is a new roof needed, there is a whole issue with the toilets needing to be moved outside, there is a serious issue in regards to the prefabs and there is an issue regarding fire safety. 

"This school needs a new build. The roof is leaking in multiple areas, mould and damp are spreading and drainage is failing in the bathroom. 

"This is what is happening every day. They are moving around buckets to try and make sure that classrooms are available to teach in; dehumidifiers are moving around from classroom to classroom.

READ NEXT: Government says strategy for Donegal schools with defective blocks will be developed 

"Despite all of this, the staff continues to do absolutely outstanding work providing first-class education in conditions that are completely substandard."

Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton, taking questions on behalf of  the Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee, said the department has received three applications under the additional school accommodation scheme and three for the emergency works scheme from Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola.

“To answer one of the Deputy's specific questions around the current position in relation to the emergency works applications for Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola, there are three emergency works applications at assessment stage - mechanical and electric works, roof works and life safety systems,” she said. 

“Those applications from the school in question are being considered by Department of Education and Youth officials and the school authority will be notified of that decision directly. I can confirm that the Department is in receipt of those three applications under the additional school accommodation scheme for capital works for the school. 

“The school submitted an application for additional school accommodation in 2022 seeking a new-build and a purpose-built classroom for students with special educational needs. Two further applications were submitted in 2024 for special educational needs accommodation and prefab replacement. Modular accommodation for a classroom for students with special educational needs was approved in 2022 and has been delivered. I will raise the issue with the minister for education as well.”

In response Deputy Dopherty said the community in the school have been very patient. 

“They have made their case time and again but patience is running out,” he said.

“What the school needs now is clear. It needs decisive action from the Department. The Minister of State talked about the six applications that are in and there could be more going in. The problem here is not only that this school needs emergency works but that there is a case for a new school building, given the overall works that have to be carried out. There is a new roof to be done and there is a whole issue, as I said, whereby the toilets will all have to be moved outside. 

“There are serious issues with the prefabs and there are fire safety issues. This school needs a new build. The roof is leaking in multiple areas. Mould and damp are spreading. Drainage is failing in the bathroom. For students and staff, this is what is happening every day. They are moving buckets around to try to make sure that classrooms are available to teach in. There are dehumidifiers moving around from classroom to classroom.”