Máirín Quill
Ceist:161 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Education the schools to which she intends to make building grants available for 1994; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Building Grants.
The capital allocation for primary and post-primary schools covers equipment and resource grants, small capital projects and emergency repairs, the provision of temporary accommodation to meet increased enrolments, site/property acquisitions and major building projects. A very substantial number of schools benefit each year from the capital allocation to one degree or another. The allocation for each year must meet on-going commitments from projects already in progress and final accounts on projects completed.
No decisions have yet been made as to the new building projects which will commence in 1994. Projects in course of planning and new projects which may emerge will be carefully considered by my Department and an order of priority established on which the 1994 programme will be based when the amount of the allocation has been established.
Máirín Quill
Ceist:162 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Education the number of outstanding applications for building grants from schools throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Applications for capital funding at primary and post-primary schools have to be examined from a variety of aspects to establish whether the application is warranted by such criteria as enrolment projections, condition of existing accommodation, curricular needs and effective school organisation in catchment areas.
The Deputy will appreciate that the applications in hand at any particular time vary from major projects including very significant capital outlays to projects for relatively small sums, a good proportion of which for one reason or another will never proceed to fruition. As regards major projects however there are at present upwards of 130 applictions for capital funding for national schools with a corresponding figure of 80 for post-primary schools.
I am concerned to achieve greater clarity and transparency in the way in which major building projects are processed through the various stages of planning up to the placing of a contract. Accordingly I have instructed my Department to develop a system whereby major projects will be regularly listed in order of priority by reference to clearly defined criteria of need.
Máirín Quill
Ceist:163 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Education the average waiting time experienced by boards of management of schools who apply for a building grant to her Department.
The capital allocation for primary and post-primary schools covers equipment and resource grants, emergency and minor capital works, the provision of temporary accommodation to meet increased enrolments, site/property acquisitions and major building projects. A very substantial number of schools benefit each year from the capital allocation to one degree or another. The time-lapse between application for a capital grant and commencement of building work depends on many factors, many of which are outside of my Department's control. These factors include the size of the project proposed, the extent of investigation and examination required both from the technical and from the educational planning points of view, the extent of the design work required, the time needed to acquire sites or other properties and to satisfy planning and fire safety regulations, and the many demands with different priorities being made on the capital allocation available in any one year.
Over the entire range of grant applications, the time-lapse would range from an immediate response in emergency cases to many years in the case of some major projects. It would not be feasible, in the circumstances, to indicate a typical time-frame for all grant applications.
However, in the case of grants for emergencies and minor works, the time lapse between application and completion would be less than one year in the great majority of cases. The majority of major projects under the primary school capital programme would be completed within four to five years. The time would tend to be longer in the case of major post-primary projects in view of the greater complexity.
The Deputy will be aware that the provision for primary and second-level capital in 1993 is 18 per cent greater than for 1992, thus permitting a large number of major projects to proceed to contract, and that the Programme for Government provides for "an increased amount in each of the next five years to implement a planned programme of replacing and refurbishing sub-standard school buildings".
Máirín Quill
Ceist:164 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Education the schools which will qualify for a building grant during 1993; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The capital allocation for primary and postprimary schools provides for expenditure on major building projects, emergency and minor projects, furniture and equipment, prefabricated accommodation and, for some schools, costs of site acquisition. As a consequence a major proportion of all schools at first and second level will qualify for either a building or capital grant during 1993.
Construction work on the following major primary school building projects is underway or scheduled to be commenced during 1993. Alt, County Donegal; Ardfinnan, County Tipperary; Ashbourne All-Irish School, County Meath; Askeaton, County Limerick; Ballinderreen, County Galway; Ballisodare, County Sligo; Ballybay, County Monaghan; Ballyclerihan, County Tipperary; Ballyneale, County Tipperary; Ballytivnan, County Sligo; Bandon, County Cork; Barefield, County Clare; Bolleybeg, County Galway; Brownstown, County Kildare; Bushy Park, Galway; Carrick (Curraghboy), County Roscommon; Carrig, County Tipperary; Central Model School, Dublin 1; Clonboney, County Westmeath; Clogh, County Kilkenny; Cloughduv, County Cork; Connolly, County Clare; Drom, County Tipperary; Drumfries, County Donegal; Gardiner Street Convent; Kilbritain, County Cork; Killawalla, County Limerick; Kilmessan, County Meath; Kilmoyley, County Kerry; Kilnadeema, County Galway; Kilrush Convent, County Clare; Kilternan, County Dublin; Lower Illies, County Donegal; Marley Grange II, Dublin; Milford, County Donegal; Newtownforbes, County Longford; Ogonelloe/Ballybrohan, County Clare; Rooskey, County Roscommon; Sallynoggin, County Dublin; Shercock, County Cavan; Taney College, Dundrum, Dublin; Tirellan Heights, Galway; Woodlands, County Donegal.
Construction work on the following major second level school building projects is scheduled to be commenced during 1993. Ashbourne Community School, County Meath; Ballaghaderreen Secondary School, County Roscommon; Ballinakill Community School, County Laois; Carrick-on-Shannon Community School, County Leitrim; Cashel Community School, County Tipperary; Confey Community College, County Kildare; Gort Community School, County Galway; Hartstown Community School, County Dublin; Johnstown Vocational School, County Wexford; Jobstown Community College, County Dublin; Kilkee Community College, County Clare; Mountmellick Community School, County Laois; Portumna Community School, County Galway; Wexford Town Vocational School, Wexford; Causeway Vocational School, County Kerry.
In addition there is provision for major essential works at the following second-level schools: Abbeyfeale Secondary School, (Scoil Ide), County Limerick; Artane (St. David's C.B.S.), Dublin; Ballyhale Vocational School, County Kilkenny; Ballymahon (Convent of Mercy), County Longford; Beara Community School, County Cork; Carrick-on-Suir Secondary School, County Tipperary; Crumlin, (Rosary College) Dublin; Drogheda (St. Olivers), County Louth; Falcarragh Community School, County Donegal; Gweedore Community School, County Donegal; Kilkenny CBS; Kilmacud (St. Benildus) County Dublin; Old Bawn Community School, Tallaght, Dublin; Raphoe Community School, County Donegal; Roscommon CBS; Roscommon Convent of Mercy; Tallaght Community School, Dublin.
Grants have also been approved to meet the specific accommodation needs at St. Louis, Kiltimagh (to facilitate rationalisation) and at the Sacred Heart Secondary School, Carrignavar, County Cork.