Charlie McConalogue
Question:99 Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a development (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10075/12]
View answerWednesday, 22 February 2012
Questions (99, 100)
Charlie McConalogue
Question:100 Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a site (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10077/12]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 100 together.
Officials in my Department have been in contact with Donegal VEC and Donegal County Council in relation to identifying a suitable site in the Buncrana area for a Campus Development. A number of potential sites that were identified have been deemed unsuitable for a number of reasons. However, my Department will continue to engage with the relevant stakeholders in relation to identifying a suitable site. The acquisition of a site will be considered in the context of the capital budget available to my Department for school buildings generally.
As the Deputy is aware, the Government's Medium Term Infrastructure and Capital Investment Framework, which was published on 10th November 2011, sets out the demographic challenge facing the education system in the coming years. In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of major school projects and smaller projects devolved to schools to meet the demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. I have previously committed to publishing shortly a five year plan outlining the school building projects that will commence construction in that time.