My Department's policy on site acquisitions is to treat them with the strictest confidentiality until the acquisition has been completed. This is to ensure that, regardless of who the vendor is, my Department obtains the best value for money. With regard to health and safety issues, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care. 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. They are also obliged to identify possible hazards, assess the risks to health and safety and put appropriate safeguards in place. National schools are given an annual allocation of €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 the school infrastructure.
The long-term accommodation needs of the school in question are being assessed in the context of an overall review of primary education in the Santry-Whitehall area. The purpose of the examination is to determine the likely demand for national school places in the medium to long term and how existing provision can be maximised to cater for this demand. The review will be completed as quickly as possible.
