Vol. 543 No. 2
769 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will confirm that the building programme for Church Hill national school, Cuffes Grange, County Kilkenny, is not in doubt and will proceed from stage three as soon as possible; if the overcrowding in this building can be dealt with urgently; if the appointment of a fourth teacher in this academic year can be sanctioned without delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26222/01]
My Department has received an application for grant-aid towards the cost of a building project at Church Hill national school. The Deputy will appreciate that there has been a massive and unprecedented increase in the funds allocated by this Government to the building programme at all levels. The allocation in the current year is £370.5 million – 470.4 million. This is almost four times the allocation made by the previous Government in 1997. This level of funding has enabled my Department to undertake a record number of building projects and it is my intention to continue this rate of progress in overcoming the deficit arising from many past years and in meeting the needs of the present day. Decisions relating to the rate of progress to construction of individual projects including Church Hill national school will be taken, as in previous years, in the light of the allocations to be made for school building purposes in the forthcoming Estimates.
770 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science if, under the Freedom of Information Act, 1997, he will provide all details regarding the application for a new school at Carrowkennedy, Westport, County Mayo; when the school was applied for; the stage at which the project is at; and if he will provide a stage by stage breakdown of all stages of the application and the processing of each. [26239/01]
My Department received an application for grant aid towards the cost of a building project at Carrowkennedy national school in April 1998. The board of management of Carrowken nedy National School accepted a revised sketch scheme for a proposed new school in March 2001. A stage 2 submission for the project has now been received and is currently being evaluated by my Department. The Deputy will appreciate that there has been a massive and unprecedented increase in the funds allocated by this Government to the building programme at all levels. The allocation in the current year is £370.5 million – 470.4 million. This is almost four times the allocation made by the previous Government in 1997. This level of funding has enabled my Department to undertake a record number of building projects and it is my intention to continue this rate of progress in overcoming the deficit arising from many past years and in meeting the needs of the present day. Decisions relating to the rate of progress to construction of individual projects, including the school referred to by the Deputy will be taken, as in previous years, in the light of the allocations to be made for school building purposes in the forthcoming Estimates.
