I propose to take Questions Nos. 242 and 246 together.
The Aghina national school building project was listed in section 4 of the 2003 school building programme which was published on my Department's website at www.education.ie. It was planned that this project would be authorised to proceed to construction during 2003 subject to significant cost savings and a review of the enrolment levels later in the year. The school enrolment had declined significantly over the last number of years. Accordingly, the Department’s schools inspector visited the school to ascertain the enrolment intake in September 2003. The enrolment at September 2003 had fallen to 25 pupils. Department officials met with the chairperson and representatives of the board of management of the school last December and again on 22 March last, to discuss issues relating to the proposed school building project. An all-in grant of €250,000 was offered to the school management to address the accommodation issue. My Department is considering a response received from the school management regarding the building project and the proposed grant and will be responding to the board shortly.