Vol. 557 No. 2
207 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress in providing a new gym at the CBS secondary school, Kilkenny; the planning stage within his Department that this application has reached; and when funding will be provided. [21800/02]
The review of the study commissioned to examine the feasibility of locating a PE hall on the site belonging to the Christian Brothers' school in Kilkenny is nearing completion in my Department.
As the Deputy is aware, there are several challenges associated with the proposed new gymnasium. In particular, the confined nature of the site cannot accommodate the template-designed physical education hall recently developed by my Department. This difficulty created the need to explore alternative solutions as part of the feasibility study. Given the complexities involved, due care and consideration must be given to choosing the correct course of action, thus the extended time given to the review process in this case.
A decision to proceed to architectural planning can only be taken after the feasibility study is examined in detail. Officials from the post-primary building unit will liaise directly with the school authority in relation to this matter in due course.
208 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science when a new gym will be provided at the Loreto secondary school, Kilkenny; the stage the project is at within his Department; and when construction will commence. [21801/02]
The tender pre-qualification process is under way in my Department for the proposed new pilot stand-alone physical education hall in Loreto secondary school, Kilkenny.
The question of seeking tenders from the successful short-listed contractors will be considered in the context of the post primary schools building programme for 2003.
My Department will be contact with the school authorities when details of this programme have been finalised.
