Vol. 537 No. 2
404 Mr. Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Science the number, names and addresses of the national schools in Cork city and county which have applied to his Department for funding for classroom extensions; the phase they are at in these applications since 1 January 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15841/01]
The information is not readily available in my Department in the format requested by the Deputy. If the Deputy requires information on any particular building project, I will be happy to provide it.
405 Mr. Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Science if Department policy regarding the purchase of lands for the provision of a building extension to an existing national school has changed; if not, if it is the case that land is only purchased for the provision of a green field site development; the reason for the difference between the purchase of land for a new school development and the refusal to purchase land for the provision of an extension to an existing school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15842/01]
The vast majority of existing primary school sites are owned by diocesan authorities, not by my Department. The new funding arrangements relating to the purchase of sites announced by my predecessor in January 1999 were approved by the Minister for Finance subject to the condition that ownership of the property thus financed was vested in the State.
The legal advice available to my Department is that there are inherent legal difficulties associated with dual ownership of different parts of a single school site. Consequently, my Department does not fund the purchase of site extensions unless the whole site is vested in the State. There has been no change in this policy since the new funding arrangements came into operation.
406 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Education and Science the programme for the provision of a new school building at Blennerville national school, County Kerry. [15843/01]
The property management section of the Office of Public Works is acting on behalf of my Department in relation to site acquisitions generally and is continuing to explore the possibility of acquiring a suitable site for the school referred to by the Deputy.
The timing of the acquisition of a suitable site will depend on a number of factors including the volume and urgency of other applications on hands and the level of funding available to my Department for site acquisition and other capital purposes. The school authorities will be kept informed of developments.
