Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 November 2010
102 Deputy Paul Connaughton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide funding towards the cost of building a proposed new school (details supplied) in County Galway; if her attention has been drawn to the overcrowding in the classrooms and the fact that rainwater has now begun to flow in through the ceiling in the classrooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43903/10]
View answerI can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for major capital funding.
In accordance with the published criteria for large scale building projects, the application has been assessed and assigned a band 1.1 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including this project, is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie.
The Deputy will be aware that in 2005 the school was selected as one which was suitable for delivery of a building project under the Permanent Accommodation Scheme and the school authority was offered funding of €300,000 to build an extension. The school authority accepted this offer and proceeded with the planning of this project while, at the same time, appealing the amount allocated to the project under the scheme.
Subsequently, having considered their options, the school authority notified the Department that they had decided to withdraw from the scheme as they deemed the existing site of 1.2 acres to be insufficient to cater for the extension. They requested that they be considered for inclusion in the main programme for delivery by the traditional method, in line with the project's priority band rating and the Patron offered adjacent parish land.
The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of competing demands on the capital budget of my Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.
In the meantime, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department approved funding in the amount of €51,179.94 towards sewerage works and €5,500 towards roof repairs in 2007 and 2010 respectively. In addition, my Department recently approved funding towards the provision of a resource room for special needs purposes and the school authority has been advised accordingly.
103 Deputy Mary O’Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills when the necessary permission will issue to a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath. [43911/10]
View answerI can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has very recently made an application to my Department for major capital funding for an extension. The application will be assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band rating which will be published on my Department's website at www.education.ie and notified to the school authority.
104 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a new school (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43931/10]
View answerI can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has made an application to my Department for large scale capital funding. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 2 rating.
Information in respect of the current school building programme, along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including the project referred to by the Deputy, is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.
The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase 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.
105 Deputy Tom Hayes asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for funding for a new school (details supplied); when the contracts will be agreed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43933/10]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware my Department has made an offer to purchase lands in the ownership of Tipperary SR County Council subject to planning. To this end, my Department sought and received the consent of the local authority to commence a planning application in respect of the said lands. Once planning is secured, this acquisition will be concluded and the proposed building project will be considered in the context of the capital budget available to my Department for school buildings generally.
