Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 February 2006
355 Mr. Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Science if her Department has made a decision with regard to future primary education provision in a town (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7397/06]
Amharc ar fhreagra357 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 483 and 484 of 7 February 2006 the position in relation to discussions with the school regarding a possible rationalisation-re-configuration of primary educational facilities in the area where the school is located; the stage the discussions are at; the agreements which have been reached; if it is her intention that the school be given a new school building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7406/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 355 and 357 together.
I wish to inform the Deputies that discussions are ongoing with the school authorities in question as regards a possible rationalisation or re-configuration of primary educational facilities in the area concerned. The next meeting between the schools and officials in the planning section of my Department is scheduled for 2 March 2006. I can assure the Deputies that my Department will take every step to ensure that the discussions referred to will be concluded as quickly as possible so that a solution can be applied to the accommodation needs of the schools in question.
358 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason for the decision to relocate two schools at a site (details supplied) in County Kildare; if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of the parents regarding the proposal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7414/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to inform the Deputy that new schools commence operation with provisional recognition from my Department. 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. When permanent recognition is granted to a school, the school planning section of my Department will then consider an application for permanent accommodation from the school authorities.
The school to which the Deputy refers commenced operation with provisional recognition from my Department in September 2002. At the time provisional recognition was granted, the patron body was notified, in writing, of the terms and conditions underpinning the grant of recognition. In this regard, it was specifically stated that, the patron has sole responsibility for the critically important matter of accommodation. It was also made clear that the accommodation sourced by the patron would be required to meet the needs of the school as it developed and that in the event of permanent recognition being granted, interim accommodation would remain the patron's responsibility until the Department was in a position to provide permanent accommodation.
In subsequent correspondence, the patron was also informed that the State owned buildings in which it had expressed an interest had been earmarked for other educational purposes, specifically, for a school which has secured permanent recognition and, therefore, qualified to attract capital funding.
This remains the position and the Department is completely satisfied that there can be no misunderstanding on the patron's behalf in regard to this matter.
With regard to schools of differing ethos sharing a site, the development of multi-school campus arrangements is a stated policy of my Department. Such arrangements will form an unequivocal feature of the educational landscape into the future to the extent that it will not be unusual to find a more significant range of school types on one site.
It is intended, however, that while individual schools will be arranged so that certain facilities can be shared to avoid duplication, schools will otherwise be structured to enable them to operate independently of one another to protect their individual ethos.
Under public procurement procedures for State buildings, all health and safety regulations will be fully complied with in the implementation of this type of accommodation solution and sites will only be developed to the limit of their potential.
