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Departmental Policies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 November 2013

Tuesday, 26 November 2013

Questions (224)

John Lyons

Question:

224. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills if, as part of the school building programme, landscaping and planting of trees is being considered as an important part of this process; if he will encourage schools to have a tree-planting ceremony as part of the opening of new schools; and if he will engage with the Tree Council of Ireland to develop a programme of events and tree planting in newly built schools during National Tree Week 2014. [50365/13]

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Written answers

My Department's General Design Guidelines for both Primary and Post-primary schools provides for the preparation and landscaping of the area around the school and between the school and the site entrance. Such landscaping should be simple, cost effective and easy to maintain. An allowance for planting of trees and shrubs is included in the external works allowance.

The arrangements relating to the opening ceremony of a new school is entirely a matter for the relevant school authority and my Department is not usually involved. The National Tree Week initiative is led by the Tree Council of Ireland. Any consideration of my Department's role in this initiative has to take account of the very difficult budgetary context in which we must currently operate. In this regard, my Department's main focus is on maintaining, as far as possible, frontline services for schools.

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