Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 October 2005
174 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the relocation of a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the majority of the parents of children attending will remove their children from this school and enrol them in another primary school if the relocation proceeds. [29855/05]
View answerMy Department is moving towards a model of devolving responsibility, authority and funding for building projects to school management authorities where appropriate. The devolving of funding to local level allows schools to have ownership of their projects and assist in moving projects in a specific timeframe to tender and construction.
Earlier this year I announced details of 97 primary schools that would benefit under the small and rural schools initiative. I am pleased to confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy was selected for inclusion in the scheme in the current year. Inclusion in this initiative allows the board of management of the school to address its accommodation and building priorities with a guaranteed amount of funding and gives the board control over the pace at which building works proceed.
As school authorities control the planning and construction phases of the improvements works at their own school under the small and rural schools initiative, parents should outline any concerns to the board of management.
