Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 10 Dec 2002

Vol. 559 No. 1

Written Answers. - School Inspection.

Jack Wall

Ceist:

270 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of inspectors employed by his Department; the number involved in school inspections in regard to health and safety; the section of his Department which deals with such reports; if he will indicate the report received by his Department in relation to a recent visit by his inspectors to a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; if it is necessary to seek this report under the Freedom of Information Act, 1997; if not, if a member of the Oireachtas has access to such a report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25932/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

I take it that the Deputy is referring to Scoil Mhíchil Naofa, Athy, County Kildare. My Department is undertaking a pilot inventory of school accommodation, including production of site and building survey drawings and general building condition reports, of 115 primary and post-primary schools in County Kildare, including the school referred to by the Deputy, and the compilation of the resulting information on a GIS database. The main purpose of this project is to aid the long-term planning of capital provision through a precise and detailed identification of accommodation needs in each of the individual schools. It is my Department's intention to give web access to the pilot inventory database as quickly as possible. In the meantime, the board of management should use its devolved grant to deal with any urgent health and safety matters at the school.