Vol. 566 No. 2
126 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress that has been made since the publication of the school buildings programme with respect to the building of a vitally needed national school in the still expanding area of Cherry Orchard, Dublin 10. [12525/03]
The proposed new primary school in Cherry Orchard is listed in section 6 of the 2003 school building programme which I published on my Department's website at www.education.ie. This proposed project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning and has been assigned a band one rating by my Department in accordance with the published criteria for prioritising large-scale projects.
Projects listed in sections 6 and 7 – primary – are not being authorised to progress beyond their current stage of architectural planning for the time being. The timing of when projects listed in these sections can progress to tender and construction will depend on the budgetary allocation for 2004 and subsequent years and the priority afforded to each project by reference to the band rating.
127 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that land earmarked for development of a school building to replace the substandard national school St. Brigid's, located in the Coombe, Dublin 8, has since been put up for sale by the owners, Dublin City Council, on the basis that plans by his Department to proceed with development of a new school have no start date; if he will communicate with Dublin City Council to request that it withdraw the lands from sale; if he will give Dublin City Council a commitment that plans for the school are likely to proceed in the near future; and the progress of plans in relation to the named school. [12526/03]
Section 9 of the 2003 school building programme as published on my Department's website at www.education.ie sets out the funding allocated for the purchase of sites for primary and post-primary schools.
On the basis of the budgetary allocation, it was not possible to make provision for the acquisition of a site for St Brigid's, the Coombe, in 2003. The budgetary allocation for 2004 and subsequent years will determine the rate of progress on projects, including site acquisitions, that could not be included in this year's programme.
128 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding an application for improvement works by St. Oliver Plunkett national school, Newcastle, Athenry, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12527/03]
The management authorities at St. Oliver Plunkett national school have applied to my Department for grant aid to carry out improvement works at the school. On the basis of the budgetary allocation it was not possible to make provision for this project in the 2003 programme that was published in January. The budgetary allocation for 2004 and subsequent years will determine the rate of progress on applications/projects that could not be included in this year's programme. In the meantime, individual schools should use their devolved grant to deal with any urgent health and safety works.
