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School Accommodation.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 October 2004

Wednesday, 27 October 2004

Questions (72, 73)

Billy Timmins

Question:

176 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Science the situation with respect to proposals to develop the primary school at Lacken County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25990/04]

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Written answers

I take it the Deputy is referring to Lacken mixed national school which is listed as a refurbishment-extension project for proceeding to tender and construction as part of this year's school building programme.

Following discussions and correspondence with the Department, the board of management has advised the Department that they will purchase a site for a new school provided the project is changed to a new school. The Department has agreed to facilitate this request being explored provided it can be achieved within the existing budget set for the project.

The Department has made it clear to the board of management that the onus is on them to explore the new school option within an indicative timetable set by the Department. It is envisaged that interactions with the Department will be kept to a minimum. However, in the event of it not proving possible to progress the new school option for reasons such as site acquisition, budget issues etc., the project will revert back to a refursibhment-extension of the existing school.

The board of management has accepted this and is currently working on the acquisition of a site following which they have been authorised to engage a design team to commence the design work on the new school.

Joan Burton

Question:

177 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science if she has considered a recent warning from a legal expert (details supplied) that schools here could be sued by students who have been educated in sub-standard buildings; her views on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26129/04]

View answer

I am only aware of the media reports on the matter in question. The position is that individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care.

In light of this, and in accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989, it is the responsibility of school management authorities to have a safety statement in place in their schools. Schools are obliged to identify possible hazards, assess the risks to health and safety and to put appropriate safeguards in place.

Provision is built into the school building programme to enable schools address urgent health and safety problems. Primary schools are given an annual allocation, currently amounting to €3,809 plus €12.70 per pupil, under the grant scheme for minor works which can be used entirely at the discretion of school management to address basic health and safety issues relating to school infrastructure.

In addition, the summer works scheme was introduced during 2004 which provided capital grants for improvement works at primary and post-primary schools. A total of 457 schools were approved for funding under this scheme in 2004. The 2005 summer works scheme has recently been published with a closing date of 5 November 2004 for receipt of completed applications.

My Department also sets aside a contingency sum each year to deal with emergency works in primary and post-primary schools, including health and safety works. Urgently required health and safety works relating to asbestos removal, radon mitigation or dust extraction may be grant aided under the remediation programmes operated by the school building section of my Department.

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