Vol. 570 No. 2
272 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to increase the capital allocation to the primary school buildings project; his further plans to fulfil his commitment to multi-annual funding in the order of ?300 million per year for five years; and his further plans to introduce a supplementary budget in 2003 to tackle the priority projects and for the provision of temporary accommodation for 2003/2004 where required. [18462/03]
I have no plans to seek an increase in the 2003 allocation of €167.7 million for primary school buildings. My Department has estimated that a total of €1.5 billion is required over the next number of years to address the capital needs in the primary education sector. I am pleased to advise the House that, in line with the concept outlined in the Agreed Programme for Government for a multi-annual schools modernisation fund, I am in ongoing discussions with my colleague, the Minister for Finance, to secure a four to five-year funding envelope for the schools building programme. My Department will continue to use the contingency fund in the programme to cover urgently required accommodation, health and safety works and other urgent works which arise during the course of the normal primary school year.
The 2003 school building programme was updated on the Department's website in May to reflect allocations from the contingency sum. This update included details in respect of urgently required temporary classroom accommodation and a new pilot initiative aimed at facilitating primary schools wishing to put a permanent solution in place to meet their immediate classroom accommodation needs.
273 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has reassessed the listing of all primary schools projects following all the representations and parliamentary questions and so on received by his Department in regard to the board of managements' applications for the provision of new schools, school extensions, provision of prefabs and general school repairs; and, as part of that reassessment and as stated in issued documentation by his Department that the said information will be updated quarterly, if St Patrick's boys' national school, Athy, County Kildare, has been redesignated as compared to the original list or if the band rating of the school has been changed. [18486/03]
274 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has reassessed the listing of all primary schools projects following all the representations and parliamentary questions and so on received by his Department in regard to the board of managements' applications for the provision of new schools, school extensions, provision of prefabs and general school repairs; and, as part of that reassessment and as stated in issued documentation by his Department that the said information will be updated quarterly, if Ticknevin National School, Ticknevin, Carbury, County Kildare, has been redesignated as compared to the original list or if the band rating of the school has been changed. [18487/03]
275 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has reassessed the listing of all primary schools projects following all the representations and parliamentary questions and so on received by his Department in regard to the board of managements' applications for the provision of new schools, school extensions, provision of prefabs and general school repairs; and, as part of that reassessment and as stated in issued documentation by his Department that the said information will be updated quarterly, if Ard Scoil Ráth Iomgháin, Rathangan, County Kildare, has been redesignated as compared to the original list or if the band rating of the school has been changed. [18488/03]
276 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has reassessed the listing of all primary schools projects following all the representations and parliamentary questions and so on received by his Department in regard to the board of managements' applications for the provision of new schools, school extensions, provision of prefabs and general school repairs; and, as part of that reassessment and as stated in issued documentation by his Department that the said information will be updated quarterly, if Scoil Diarmada, Castledermot, County Kildare has been redesignated as compared to the original list or if the band rating of the school has been changed. [18489/03]
277 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has reassessed the listing of all primary schools projects following all the representations and parliamentary questions and so on received by his Department in regard to the board of managements' applications for the provision of new schools, school extensions, provision of prefabs and general school repairs; and, as part of that reassessment and as stated in issued documentation by his Department that the said information will be updated quarterly, if Brannockstown national school, Brannockstown, County Kildare, has been redesignated as compared to the original list or if the band rating of the school has been changed. [18490/03]
278 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has reassessed the listing of all primary schools projects following all the representations and parliamentary questions and so on received by his Department in regard to the board of managements' applications for the provision of new schools, school extensions, provision of prefabs and general school repairs; and, as part of that reassessment and as stated in issued documentation by his Department that the said information will be updated quarterly, if Ballyshannon national school, Ballyshannon, Kilcullen, County Kildare, has been redesignated as compared to the original list or if the band rating of the school has been changed. [18491/03]
279 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has reassessed the listing of all primary schools projects following all the representations and parliamentary questions and so on received by his Department in regard to the board of managements' applications for the provision of new schools, school extensions, provision of prefabs and general school repairs; and, as part of that reassessment and as stated in issued documentation by his Department that the said information will be updated quarterly, if Scoil Bhride, Nurney, County Kildare, has been redesignated as compared to the original list or if the band rating of the school has been changed. [18492/03]
280 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has reassessed the listing of all primary schools projects following all the representations and parliamentary questions and so on received by his Department in regard to the board of managements' applications for the provision of new schools, school extensions, provision of prefabs and general school repairs; and, as part of that reassessment and as stated in issued documentation by his Department that the said information will be updated quarterly, if Robertstown national school, Robertstown, County Kildare, has been redesignated as compared to the original list or if the band rating of the school has been changed. [18493/03]
281 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has reassessed the listing of all primary schools projects following all the representations and parliamentary questions and so on received by his Department in regard to the board of managements' applications for the provision of new schools, school extensions, provision of prefabs and general school repairs; and, as part of that reassessment and as stated in issued documentation by his Department that the said information will be updated quarterly, if St Patrick's national school, Morristown, Newbridge, County Kildare, has been redesignated as compared to the original list or if the band rating of the school has been changed. [18494/03]
282 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has reassessed the listing of all primary schools projects following all the representations and parliamentary questions and so on received by his Department in regard to the board of managements' applications for the provision of new schools, school extensions, provision of prefabs and general school repairs; and, as part of that reassessment and as stated in issued documentation by his Department that the said information will be updated quarterly, if Scoil Mhuire, Ballymany, Newbridge, County Kildare, has been redesignated as compared to the original list or if the band rating of the school has been changed. [18495/03]
283 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has reassessed the listing of all primary schools projects following all the representations and parliamentary questions and so on received by his Department in regard to the board of managements' applications for the provision of new schools, school extensions, provision of prefabs and general school repairs; and, as part of that reassessment and as stated in issued documentation by his Department that the said information will be updated quarterly, if Ballysax national school, Ballysax, The Curragh, County Kildare, has been redesignated as compared to the original list or if the band rating of the school has been changed. [18496/03]
284 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has reassessed the listing of all primary schools projects following all the representations and parliamentary questions and so on received by his Department in regard to the board of managements' applications for the provision of new schools, school extensions, provision of prefabs and general school repairs; and, as part of that reassessment and as stated in issued documentation by his Department that the said information will be updated quarterly, if Kildangan national school, Kildangan, County Kildare, has been redesignated as compared to the original list or if the band rating of the school has been changed. [18497/03]
285 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has reassessed the listing of all primary schools projects following all the representations and parliamentary questions and so on received by his Department in regard to the board of managements' applications for the provision of new schools, school extensions, provision of prefabs and general school repairs; and, as part of that reassessment and as stated in issued documentation by his Department that the said information will be updated quarterly, if Halverstown national school, Halverstown, Kilcullen, County Kildare, has been redesignated as compared to the original list or if the band rating of the school has been changed. [18498/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 273 to 285, inclusive, together.
The 2003 school building programme is designed to give the maximum amount of information to managers, boards of management, principals, parents and students and to give an assurance that it is being operated in an open and transparent manner. The criteria for prioritising large-scale projects was also published for the first time.
The position in relation to the band ratings assigned to individual projects is clearly set out in sections 6 and 7 of the programme which is available on my Department's website. The website was updated in May and future updates will also reflect changes in circumstances that warrant the assignment of a different band rating to individual school building projects for example, an amalgamation which was agreed subsequent to a band rating being assigned to a project.
