Vol. 552 No. 1
767 Mr. Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will fast track the provisions for eight mainstream classrooms and the appropriate specialist and ancillary accommodation required for a school of this size, for the proposed amalgamation of Rathmore and Shrone national schools at Rathmore, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11640/02]
The allocation for primary buildings in 2002 is €153.6 million, which is a record level of funding and demonstrates this Government's commitment to improving accommodation in primary schools. This is almost four times the previous Government's investment in 1997. Due to the greatly increased level of activity in the primary buildings area since this Government came into office, there has been a substantial increase in the number of major and minor building projects in construction and this has given rise to a record level of building and refurbishment activity.
My Department is committed to providing a new school building for Rathmore national school and the board of management will be authorised, at the earliest possible date within the expanded building programme, to instruct its design team to proceed with architectural planning for this project.
768 Mr. Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will fast-track the provision of a new school for the proposed amalgamation of St. Clares and St. Francis national schools in Kenmare, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11641/02]
The allocation for primary buildings in 2002 is €153.6 million, which is a record level of funding and demonstrates this Government's commitment to improving accommodation in primary schools. This is almost four times the previous Government's investment in 1997. Due to the greatly increased level of activity in the primary buildings area since this Government came into office, there has been a substantial increase in the number of major and minor building projects in construction and this has given rise to a record level of building and refurbishment activity.
A design team has been appointed and a submission outlining options for the amalgamated school was submitted to my Department recently and is currently being examined. The project will progress through architectural planning and to the invitation of tenders, as soon as possible, under the expanded building programme.
