Mary Wallace (Meath East, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and also to outline the current position in relation to the future plans for Gaelscoil Bharra, Cabra.

Modernising facilities in the existing building stock, as well as the need to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth, is a significant challenge and is one of the priorities of the Minister for Education and Science. This Government has dramatically increased investment in the school building programme to €656 million this year. 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 this 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.

The Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of the Department in relation to site acquisitions generally, had been requested to source a greenfield site for this Gaelscoil. On foot of advertising, no proposals were received for a greenfield site in the Cabra area. Further to this, the OPW was requested by the Department to look into building a permanent school on the existing temporary site. To pursue this further, meetings have taken place between the Department and Dublin City Council regarding the potential availability of this site and last year the Department wrote to the council with a proposal suggesting that a lease arrangement be put in place.

In January this year, officials from the Department again met with the city council and representatives of St. Finbar's GAA club where the school is currently located to further discuss this issue of entering into a lease arrangement with the city council which, in time, will require the GAA club to surrender its interest on some of the lands required for a building project.

Officials from the Department met directly with representatives from the GAA club yesterday to explore with the club various design options. The club indicated that it would consider the issues raised and would respond formally to the Department in the coming days. This response will allow the Department to engage with the city council on its assessment of the site suitability. Upon receipt of the club's views, the Department will revert to the city council on the matter.

The further progression of the acquisition of this site will be considered in the context of the capital budget available to the Department for school buildings generally. I am not in a position to say at this stage when the acquisition will be concluded.

I again thank the Deputy for affording me the opportunity to outline to the House the current position on the future plans for Gaelscoil Bharra, Cabra.

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