Vol. 479 No. 2
205 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Education the reason funding has not been approved for the improvements to Our Lady of Mercy primary school, Pearse Road, Sligo, as agreed following the amalgamations of schools on the site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12644/97]
When I was appointed Minister in 1993, I was faced with a backlog of 300 urgent major school projects. These projects accumulated because of the substantial cuts in the capital funding of primary schools in the 1988-92 period. In the past four years, the Government has increased the capital funding of schools significantly and substantial progress has been made in reducing the backlog. Despite this significant progress, at present, due to the level of contractual commitments on primary school building projects, I am not in a position to provide grant-aid towards the improvements of Our Lady of Mercy primary school.
I can assure the Deputy that this project will be considered again in the light of future capital allocations.
