Fergus O'Dowd
Ceist:530 Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the proposed new school for Fatima school, Dublin Road, Drogheda, County Louth. [20156/03]
Written Answers. - Schools Building Projects.
The 2003 capital programme has been published and full details in relation to individual projects are available on my Department's website at www.education.ie. Given the level of financial commitments to be met from projects already under construction, my Department does not envisage that it will be in a position to allow further large-scale projects, including the project at the Fatima school, to commence architectural planning this year.
The timing of when these projects can commence architectural planning is dependent on the financial allocation for 2004 and subsequent years and the competing priorities for that funding by reference to the published criteria for prioritising large-scale projects. In the interim, following a review of the consultant architect's report on the Fatima school and discussions with the fire officer, my Department is providing grant aid of €300,000 to the school authority to carry out emergency works at the school. It is expected that these works will be carried out this year.