Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I will respond on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I thank Deputy Clune for raising this matter and giving me an opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects. In particular, I will outline the current position in respect of Ballygarvan national school, Ballygarvan, County Cork. The modernisation of the facilities in our existing building stock, like the need to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth, presents a significant challenge. The Government has shown a consistent determination to improve the condition of school buildings and ensure that appropriate facilities are in place to enable the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum.

All applications for capital funding are assessed in the Department of Education and Science's modernisation and policy unit. The assessment process determines the extent and type of need in each case, based on the demographics of the area, any proposed housing developments, the condition of the buildings and the capacity of the proposed site, etc. This process ultimately leads to the determination of an appropriate accommodation solution. As part of the process, projects are assigned band ratings under the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. The criteria in question were devised following consultation with the education partners. Projects are selected for inclusion in the school building and modernisation programme on the basis of priority of need. This is reflected in the band rating assigned to each project. In other words, a proposed building project moves through the system in a manner that is commensurate with the band rating assigned to it.

There are four band ratings, of which band 1 is the highest and band 4 the lowest. Band 1 projects, for example, involve the provision of buildings where none currently exist but where there is a high demand for pupil places. Band 4 projects, by contrast, involve the provision of desirable but not necessarily urgent or essential facilities, such as libraries and sports halls.

The proposed development at Ballygarvan national school has been assigned a band rating of 1.1, which is the highest rating possible and reflects the need for a new school in this instance. The brief for this project involves the provision of a new 16-classroom school building. The schedule of accommodation for the new school will include a 195 sq. m general purpose room, a library and resource area, a suite of special education tuition rooms and ancillary accommodation, including a staff room and a principal's office. The Deputy will be aware that the project was included in the recent announcement of projects to commence architectural planning. A suitable site comprising three plots of land was identified for the new school building in Ballygarvan. It was originally intended that the Department would acquire the three plots of land. Late last year, however, the Department agreed a proposal by the patron of the school that the Diocese of Cork and Ross would acquire the necessary plots of land. I understand that the diocesan office has been actively engaged in finalising the acquisition. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that as the contracts will be agreed by the vendors and the diocese, the Minister has had no formal involvement in such discussions. I understand, however, that the council members last night voted to approve the sale of council lands to the diocese and that the diocesan office is currently awaiting formal confirmation of this decision. The Department will proceed with the appointment of a design team once the diocese is in a position to confirm acquisition of the site.

I again thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline to the Dáil the current position regarding the school building project for Ballygarvan national school, County Cork.

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