Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 July 2008
478 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science his Department’s plans to provide a school (details supplied) in Dublin 7 with a permanent site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25772/08]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware from my reply to Parliamentary Question Number 748 on the 2nd of April 2008 that my Department is exploring as an option the provision of a new building on the existing temporary school site.
The further progression of the acquisition of the site for the school in question will be considered in the context of the capital budget available to my Department for school buildings generally. I am not in a position to say at this stage when the acquisition will be concluded.
479 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans that exist to provide alternative school premises for a school (details suppled) in Dublin 7 in view of their pending eviction from their premises by the summer of 2008; if he will liaise with the school to agree a plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25773/08]
View answer489 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans for the construction of an Educate Together primary school in Grangegorman; if funding has been allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25827/08]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 479 and 489 together.
Due to the renegotiation of the existing lease between the Catholic Institute for the Deaf and the Department, the Department has confirmed to the school referred to by the Deputy, that they will be remaining in their current location for the academic year beginning September 2008.
The Department has also recently informed the school in writing that it is proposed to relocate them on a temporary basis on the Grangegorman site from the academic year beginning September 2009, pending their permanent relocation as part of the overall redevelopment of the Grangegorman site. This proposal was recently agreed between my Department, the Grangegorman Development Agency and the Health Service Executive.
480 Deputy Ulick Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress on the provision of the new co-education second level school for a school (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25793/08]
View answerThe Commission on School Accommodation conducted a survey of school accommodation in the area referred to by the Deputy to determine the location of the proposed post primary school and to identify other locations where additional school places may be required over the next five to ten years.
The Commission published its report in January 2008 which recommended that a co-educational post primary school for circa 800 students should be provided in the northern environs of the area in question. When a new school has been approved a number of procedures/processes must be undertaken and these can take some time to complete. The main stages are the identification and acquisition of a suitable site, design of the building, application/granting of planning permission, invitation to seek tenders and construction.
The Property Management Section of the Office of Public Works (OPW), which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to site acquisitions generally, is being requested to source a suitable site for the school in question. The further progression of the proposed project for the school will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of the Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.
481 Deputy Ulick Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools in County Galway who have sought an extension, an upgrade of facilities, prefab accommodation and assistance under each of the small works scheme and the summer works scheme; his views on the reintroduction of these schemes to alleviate the difficulties and hardship involved for these schools in view of the number involved and the urgency of the works required. [25794/08]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy is being collated and I will write to him in the matter as soon as possible.
