Vol. 560 No. 1
505 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science the position in the context of the 2003 Estimates in respect of the need for extra facilities identified at Millicent school, Clane, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1935/03]
The 2003 capital programme has now been published and full details in relation to individual projects are available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.
An application for improved accommodation has been received from the management authorities of Millicent national school. However, my Department does not intend to allow further large-scale projects into architectural planning during 2003. The school's application will be considered again in the context of the 2004 capital programme.
506 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which he pro poses to respond to the request for extra facilities at Presentation Convent, Maynooth, County Kildare; if psychological services or other special needs requirements are likely to be met in the context of the 2003 Estimates for his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1936/03]
The 2003 capital programme has now been published and full details in relation to individual projects are available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.
The project at Presentation Convent national school is at an early stage of architectural planning. On the basis of the budgetary allocation it was not possible to include it in the new projects to start construction in 2003. The project will be considered again in the context of the 2004 capital programme.
With regard to the applications for resources for children with special needs in the school in question, I wish to inform the Deputy that applications received before the close of business on 8 November 2002 will be verified to the school authorities in the coming days. Applications received between the close of business on 8 November 2002 and close of business on 7 February 2003 will be treated as applications for the last school term and my Department will issue responses to these applications in the week commencing 7 April 2003.
With regard to provision of psychological services by the National Educational Psychological Service Agency to Presentation Convent school, the position is that my Department continues to make a number of new appointments of psychologists to NEPS, including some who will be based in the eastern region – south-western area. I am not in a position at present to state whether it will be possible to extend the NEPS service in County Kildare during the current year – the timing will depend upon when the new psychologists actually take up their posts and complete their induction training. In the meantime, the school may avail of the scheme for commissioning psychological assessment, details of which may be found on my Department's Website.
