Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and also the position on the application for a new school building for Rockcorry national school, Rockcorry, County Monaghan.

Modernising facilities in our 3,200 primary and 750 post-primary schools is not an easy task given the legacy of decades of under-investment in this area, in addition to the need to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth. Nonetheless, since taking office this Government has shown focused determination to improve the condition of our school buildings and to ensure that appropriate facilities are in place to enable the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum. As evidence of this commitment, more than €540 million will be available to be spent on schools building and modernisation projects in the coming year. This will cover both primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.

Since 1997, a total of €3 billion has been invested in school buildings and this has delivered more than 7,800 school building projects. The further investment of over €540 million will build on these achievements and focus in particular on the provision of school accommodation in areas where the population is growing at a rapid rate. As further evidence of our commitment, national development plan funding of approximately €4.5 billion will be invested in schools over the coming years.

I am sure the Deputy will agree that this record level of investment is a positive testament to the high priority the Government attaches to ensuring that school accommodation is of the highest standard possible. Moreover, to reduce red tape and allow projects to move faster, responsibility for smaller projects has been devolved to school level. Standard designs have also been developed for eight-classroom and 16-classroom schools to facilitate speedier delivery of projects and save on design fees. The design and build method is also used to expedite delivery where the use of standard designs is not possible. Taken together with the unprecedented level of funding available, these initiatives ensure that building projects are delivered in the fastest timeframe possible.

Turning to the school in question, Rockcorry Church of Ireland national school is a coeducational primary school and has a September 2006 enrolment of 36 pupils. Enrolments at this school have increased in recent years from 21 pupils in 2001 to 36 pupils in 2006. An application was received in the Department from the school authority under the small schools scheme 2007. On 5 March 2007, the Department announced details of the schools to receive funding under this scheme.

Due to the volume of applications received in the Department, it was not possible to allocate funding to all proposed projects and the application from Rockcorry national school was not successful in this instance. However, should the school authority wish to appeal this decision, it may do so in writing to the school planning section of the Department. It is also open to the school authority to apply for funding under the 2008 scheme, details of which will be announced later this year. The Department acknowledges that the site is in the ownership of the school.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and allowing me to outline the progress being made under the schools building and modernisation programme and the position on the application for a new school building for Rockcorry national school, Rockcorry, County Monaghan.

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