Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I take this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I thank Deputy Costello 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 to outline the current position on the future plans for Gaelscoil Bharra, Cabra.

Modernising facilities in our existing building stock as well as the need to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth is a significant challenge, one which the Minister for Education and Science intends will be one of his priorities. The Government has dramatically increased capital investment in the school building programme to an unprecedented level, thus reflecting its commitment 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.

The Deputy will be aware the Office of Public Works, OPW, which acts on behalf of the Department in site acquisitions generally, was 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. As a result the issue of providing a permanent school on the existing temporary site then came into focus. To pursue this further, meetings have taken place between the Department and Dublin City Council regarding the potential availability of this site. The Department has written to the council with a proposal suggesting that a lease arrangement be put in place.

Officials from the Department have met officials from the city council and representatives of the GAA club to discuss the possibility of entering into a lease arrangement with the city council. Such an arrangement would, in time, require the GAA club to surrender its interest in some of the lands required for the building project. More recently, departmental officials met representatives of Naomh Fionnbarra GAA club separately on 18 February 2009 to discuss three potential design options that would allow for the provision of an eight-classroom school on the site. The club responded by way of letter on 2 March 2009 indicating its preferred design option, based on the options presented by the Department, and highlighting the need for car parking arrangements for its members and the school's teaching staff to be addressed.

On foot of this, the Department subsequently wrote to Dublin City Council to advise it of the design option favoured by the GAA club and to ask the council to consider a technical assessment of the site, incorporating the views of the GAA club. A response is awaited. I suggest that the Deputy might be acquainted with a member of Dublin City Council who might be able to pursue this matter at that level.

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