Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Costello and the Ceann Comhairle.

I will reply to this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I thank Deputy Joe Costello for raising the 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 on the future plans for Gaelscoil Bharra in 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 one which the Minister for Education and Science intends will be one of his priorities. The Government has dramatically increased investment in the school building programme to 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 the Government's commitment to delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary accommodation throughout the country.

Turning to the specific matter in hand, as the Deputy will be aware the Office of Public Works which acts on behalf of the Department in 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. 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 and the Department wrote to the council with a proposal suggesting that a lease arrangement be put in place.

Officials from the Department have met with the city council and representatives of the GAA club to discuss the 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. In February 2009, Department officials met separately with representatives of Naomh Fionnbarra GAA Club to discuss three potential design options available to allow for the provision of an eight classroom school on the site. The club responded by way of letter in March 2009 indicating its preferred design option based on the options presented by the Department and highlighting their concerns that car parking for their members as well as the teaching staff be addressed.

On foot of this, the Department wrote to Dublin City Council advising it of the design option favoured by the GAA club and requested the local authority to consider a technical assessment of the site incorporating the views of the GAA. This response is awaited. The further progression of the acquisition of this site and the accompanying building project will be considered in the context of the capital budget available to the Department for school buildings generally. I thank the Deputy once again for affording me the opportunity to outline to the House the current position on the future plans for Gaelscoil Bharra in Cabra.

See this speech in context