Vol. 520 No. 1
407 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science the amount of funds available from his Department which have been earmarked for road safety measures at primary schools; the expenditure by his Department on road safety measures at primary schools in 1997, 1998 and 1999; the number of applications for funding for such works currently with his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15284/00]
Funding for work related to road safety is a matter for the relevant local authorities.
It is not a matter for my Department to provide funding from the annual allocation for primary buildings for works external to the vested area, for example, the site of a primary school.
408 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science if funding will be provided by his Department to provide additional car parking spaces at St. Etchen's national school, Kinnegad, County Westmeath and hence improve road safety at this location. [15285/00]
Individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care. While my Department is prepared to consider applications from school authorities for grant aid towards improving safety arrangements at individual schools, grant aid is not available for works outside the vested area of the school.
The position in regard to additional car parking spaces at St. Etchen's national school, Kinnegad is that a consultant has been appointed to prepare a development plan for the immediate area. When this plan has been submitted, the matter will be considered further.
