Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Mattie McGrath as ucht an cheist seo a ardú agus mo leithscéal leis as ucht go bhfuil mo dhroim á thaispeáint dó.

I am replying to this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, who regrets that he cannot be present. I thank the Deputy for raising it because 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 respect of the future plans for Gaelscoil Cluain Meala, Cluain Meala, Contae Thiobraid Arann.

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. The Minister intends that it will be one of his priorities. The Government has dramatically increased capital investment in the school building programme to an unprecedented level. This reflects 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 the Government's commitment to delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary accommodation throughout the country.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Office of Public Works, OPW, which acts on behalf of the Department in respect of site acquisitions generally, was requested to source a greenfield site for this gaelscoil. The OPW advised the Department that the Health Service Executive had formally conveyed its approval to dispose of a site for the gaelscoil. Officials from the Department met representatives of the local authority and the school authority in June of this year. On foot of those meetings, the Department is examining a number of options regarding the proposed site for the school. 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 in general.

I again thank the Deputy for affording me the opportunity to outline to the House the current position in respect of to the future plans for Gaelscoil Cluain Meala, Cluain Meala, Contae Thiobraid Arann.

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