Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity of outlining to this House the position of the Department of Education and Science regarding the provision of new school premises for St. Colman's boys national school in County Cork. It is proposed to provide a design and build turnkey package to comprise a permanent system-built, two-storey school with ten classrooms, a double autistic unit, specialist resource rooms and ancillary accommodation. A revised report with updated costings on the project has been received in the Department and is under examination.

Under the national development plan €4.5 billion is assigned to the capital requirements of the primary and post-primary sectors. More than €540 million will be spent this year on school buildings. The level of construction alone in the primary and post-primary sectors in 2007 is such that it will deliver more than 700 classrooms to provide permanent accommodation for approximately 17,500 pupils.

The progression of all large-scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase is considered on an ongoing basis in the context of the Department's multi-annual school building and modernisation programme. The progression of this school project, as with all large-scale projects, will be considered in this context. The Minister intends to announce in January the first tranche of projects that will be proceeding to construction in 2008, with further announcements throughout the year as the school building programme is rolled out.

I assure the Deputy that the Department is committed to providing suitable high-quality accommodation for a national school in County Cork at the earliest possible date.

See this speech in context