Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the strategy of the Department of Education and Science for capital investment in education projects and also to outline the position regarding the application received in the Department for additional accommodation at Urbleshanny national school, Scotstown, County Monaghan.

Since the beginning of the year the Department of Education and Science has made a number of announcements relating to the schools building and modernisation programme. This year alone, €270 million will be allocated to primary schools and €223 million to post-primary schools for building works. This represents an increase of 14% on last year's allocation.

The programmes supported will include 141 major building projects already on site and a further 28 due to commence in the coming weeks, 122 major school building projects countrywide which will prepare tenders and move to construction during this year, 192 primary schools which have been invited to take part in the small and rural schools initiative and the devolved scheme for providing additional accommodation, up to 120 schools which have been given approval to rent temporary premises pending delivery of a permanent solution to their long-term accommodation needs, 43 schools which have been authorised to start architectural planning of their major projects and 590 schools which were recently given approval to complete essential small-scale projects under the summer works scheme.

The new schools building and modernisation programme 2005-09 will be underpinned not only by a significant increase in overall funding but also by major improvements in the administration of the funding. Devolving more funding to local level through the summer works scheme and the small and rural schools initiative will allow schools to move ahead much more quickly with smaller projects while also delivering better value for money.

Major renovations were completed in Urbleshanny national school a number of years ago at a cost of over €900,000. Since completion of these works, enrolment has increased from 223 when the project was approved in 1998 to 270 pupils in September last year. The Department of Education and Science has received an application from the school authority for the provision of an extension consisting of two mainstream classrooms, a remedial room and an extension to the school's hard play area to cater for the growing enrolment.

The upward trend in pupil enrolments at the school has necessitated a further examination of the school's long-term accommodation needs to ensure any capital funding being provided is appropriate to meet the school's long-term needs. The assessment of the school's application is ongoing in the school planning section of the Department to determine the school's long-term accommodation requirements. The objective is to ensure that whatever additional facilities are put in place at the school this time will serve the needs of the school community well into the future. When this issue is resolved the provision of the appropriate accommodation will be progressed in the context of the school building and modernisation programme.

I thank the Deputy for affording me the opportunity to outline to the House the method used by the Department of Education and Science in determining in an open and transparent way how projects are included for funding in the school building programme and to assure the House that this school and all others will be treated in a fair and equitable manner.

See this speech in context