THE NATIONAL SCHOOLS on Valentia island and Achill island are still awaiting the arrival of their phone and fax. The Minister for Education accorded special status island schools to 1994, promising them these mod cons.

All of the other islands that applied under the scheme have received their equipment, but these two islands, each connected to the mainland by a bridge, are still waiting. It seems the Department of Finance will not disburse the money. but Niamh Bhreathnach has pledged to keep fighting.

Sally Shiels, INTO president, says that not only should the schools on Achill and Valentia get their phone and fax, but all one-teacher schools should be offered the same facilities.

"These schools are like islands in themselves. If something goes wrong, there is no other adult present. As well as reducing the sense of isolation, a phone is a matter of safety," she says.

As for Valentia and Achill, she says that the undertaking was to give all island schools a phone and fax and these islands are quite clearly still islands, despite the presence of bridges.

Shiels would also like to see video-conferencing equipment in stalled in island schools. "This would allow two schools to link up for classes like art, nature or science. We think that would make a massive difference, as the island school may not have the facilities itself, but could `participate' in classes via a screen," she explains.