Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 October 2004
202 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science when a decision will be reached in regard to the tendering of work for a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25928/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school opened with provisional recognition from my Department in September 2004. During the period of provisional recognition, it is the responsibility of the school patron to provide interim accommodation. This accommodation must be capable of fully meeting the needs of the developing school until permanent recognition has been secured and my Department is in a position to acquire a site and provide a permanent school building.
The school authority initially proposed locating its new school in a soccer club from September 2004. However, it transpired that adequate facilities were not available there to facilitate this. Some alterations were necessary to the clubhouse itself and a prefab was required on site to meet the schools needs. Unfortunately, the school authority had not secured its planning permission to allow the prefab on site for September 2004 and, consequently, the school opened in alternative premises at that time.
My Department agreed to this arrangement as an exceptional measure so that the school would not have to defer opening until September 2005 and on the basis this would be a temporary measure. Documentation was recently received in the planning section of my Department with regard to the cost of alterations to the soccer club premises. A decision in this matter will be taken as soon as confirmation has been received of the grant of planning permission for the prefab. The basis for this is that unless planning permission is forthcoming, the school will not be able to use the proposed premises and the question of carrying out renovations will be obsolete.
