Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Dec 2003

Vol. 576 No. 1

Written Answers. - Schools Amalgamation.

Joe Costello

Question:

204 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the recent purchase of more than two acres by the boards of management of the boys' and girls' schools in Collooney, County Sligo, for a new amalgamated school for the village; when funding will be made available for such a project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29183/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

There is local agreement for a number of years for an amalgamation of the boys' and girls' primary schools in Collooney, County Sligo. This proposal has been approved by my Department.

To facilitate the amalgamation, a new school building on a new site will be required. In this regard the Department's building unit gave permission to the schools' authorities in July 2002 to progress negotiations with the local authority for the exchange of existing school sites for a new site at Collooney. My officials are in communication with the board of management in regard to the outcome of these negotiations.

The question of when the building project required can proceed to architectural planning will depend on the budgetary provision for 2004 and subsequent years, the rate of progress with existing projects in architectural planning and the priority afforded to each project by reference to the published criteria for prioritising large-scale building projects.