Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this matter for the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin, who wishes to thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I will outline the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and the current position in regard to the purchase of a site in Gorey, County Wexford.

At the outset, modernising facilities in our 3,200 primary and 731 post-primary schools is not an easy task given the legacy of decades of underinvestment in this area as well as the need to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth. Nonetheless, since taking office the Government has shown a consistent determination to improve the condition of our school buildings and to ensure that the appropriate facilities are in place to enable the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum.

The Government has dramatically increased investment in the school building programme to almost €600 million this year. Under the lifetime of the national development plan almost €4.5 billion will be invested in schools. This is an unprecedented level of capital investment which reflects the commitment of the Government to continue its programme of sustained investment in primary and post-primary schools.

It will underpin a particular emphasis on the delivery of additional school places in rapidly developing areas while continuing to develop on the Government's commitment to delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary accommodation throughout the country. It will also enable the purchase of sites to facilitate the smooth delivery of the school building programme, again with the focus being on site requirements in rapidly developing areas.

Turning to the specific matter raised by Deputy D'Arcy, the site in question of about 18 acres in Gorey is in the process of transfer to the Department from Wexford County Council. As the Minister announced on 1 February last, it is planned to provide for two primary schools consisting of eight classrooms each in 2008. It is expected that, in time, in each of these schools the number of classrooms will be increased to 16 with a special needs unit. The Department also plans, in time, to provide a post-primary school on the site and this will form part of the master plan for the site.

I thank the Deputy again for affording me the opportunity to outline to the House the current position in regard to the purchase of a site in Gorey.

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