Noel Ahern
Ceist:93 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Education when the application from Our Lady of Victories national school, Ballymun Road, in respect of school rewiring will be approved.
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
My Department has given approval in principle for the necessary rewiring at this school, and tenders are currently awaited for the project. Subject to receipt of a suitable tender a grant will be formally sanctioned by my Department and it is hoped that the work can be undertaken during the school's closure for the summer holidays.
Noel Ahern
Ceist:94 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Education if she has considered the application from De La Salle primary school, Glasnevin Road, Finglas, Dublin 11, who seek a grant of approximately £30,000 to replace 60 metres of boundary wall which has moved off its foundation and has attracted attention from the dangerous building section of Dublin Corporation; if she will approve a 100 per cent or 95 per cent grant as the school is unable to provide finance; and if she will make a statement on the application for disadvantaged status as submitted.
My Department has recently sanctioned a grant in respect of the replacement of the boundary wall at the school referred to by the Deputy.
The maximum grant level for capital works at national schools is set at 85 per cent of the cost. The only exceptions are in respect of schools which are classified as disadvantaged.
I am aware that the school in question has applied for inclusion in the disadvantaged areas scheme.
Schools are selected for inclusion in this scheme on the basis of priority of need as reflected by a range of social-economic criteria.
Factors taken into account include the incidence of unemployment, local authority housing and medical card holders among the parents of the children concerned. Account is also taken of the views of the Department's Inspectorate on the relative levels of need between application schools.
As I recently announced in the context of the 1994 Education Budget, I intend that a further 50 primary schools will be designated as disadvantaged for capitation grant purposes in the current year.
The case for this school, together with all other applicant schools, will be considered in this context.