Vol. 489 No. 3
267 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to the new central school in Bunninadden, Ballymote, County Sligo; when the capital funding will be granted; the amount to be granted; the commencement date of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7848/98]
The proposed new primary school at Bunninadden, Ballymote, County Sligo, is currently going through the architectural planning stages. My Department's architectural staff have requested the consultant quantity surveyor to prepare a cost plan for the project and it is expected that this will be completed shortly. When the cost plan is approved, the school manager will be provided with the documentation necessary to make an application for planning permission. The level of grant assistance provided by any Department for projects of this nature is 85 per cent. However, as an accurate costing for the scheme is not available at present, it is not possible to predict the amount of grant assistance in this case. When all the planning work for the project has been completed, a decision on the tender and contract process will be taken in the light of other priority projects, and available capital funding. At this stage, it is not possible to give a commencement date for the scheme.
268 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the provision of funding towards the proposed extension work at St. Paul's secondary school, Oughterard, County Galway; and if this grant will be made available to the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7895/98]
My Department has recently approved an all-in grant for the provision of additional accommodation for St. Paul's secondary school, Oughterard, County Galway. The funding being provided by my Department for this project is not the usual method of providing grant aid to schools but the result of an agreement reached with the school authority. The background to the project is that my Department was prepared to provide temporary accommodation for the school under the usual terms but the school authority wished to have the accommodation provided in a permanent structure.
The building project is following the Department's standard design team procedures and is currently at Stages 4/5 of architectural planning, that is, detail design contract documents. It is anticipated that the project will proceed to tender when this stage of planning has been completed to the Department's satisfaction. This grant will be paid on production of certificates of practical completion from the consultant architect employed by the school authority.
