Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

Táim ag freagairt na ceiste seo thar ceann mo chomhleacaí, an t-Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna, an Teachta Ruairi Quinn. Gabhaim mo bhuíochas leis an Teachta as an cheist a ardú mar go dtugann se deis dom an scéal mar atá se faoi láthair a shoiléiriú maidir leis an iarratas athmhaoiniú mór caipitil do Scoil Bhaile Nua, Maigh Cuilinn.

Mar is eol don Teachta, chuir údaras na scoile iarratas faoi bhráid ar mhaoiniú mór caipitil do shíneadhle haghaidh nuachóiriú agus oibreacha athchóirithe.

Mar chuid den phróiséas measúnaithe, sanntar rátáil banda do thionscadal faoi chritéir fhoilsithe tosaíochta i gcómhair tionscadal togála ar scála mór. Ceaptar na critéir seo tar éis dul i gcómhairle leis na comhpháirtithe oideachais.

Gluaiseann tionscadal togála tríd an gcóras ar cóimhéid leis an rátáil banda a sannadh dó. Tá ceithre rátálacha banda ann ar fad, agus is é banda a haon an ceann is áirde agus is é banda a ceathar an ceann is ísle. Sannadh rátáil banda de 2.5 don tionscadal do Scoil Bhaile Nua.

As the Deputy is aware, my Department is forecasting an increase of over 45,050 primary pupils and 24,900 post-primary pupils by the start of the 2017-18 school year. In order to meet the needs of our growing population of school going children, we will have to establish 40 new schools, as well as extending a number of existing schools. The estimated capital cost of the establishment of the new schools is in the region of €380 million and the programme of delivery will include some PPP projects. There will also be additional school extension projects which will be needed to cater for the growing school going population. It is that context that the progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered and its progression is contingent on the availability of funding within the Department's multi-annual school building and modernisation programme and the competing demands for this funding.

Subsequent to the receipt of the major capital application referred to above, the school applied in March 2010 for one additional mainstream classroom. The Department approved a grant for this classroom in the amount of €100,000 and the school has drawn down 100% of the grant as the extension is complete. In addition, an ICT grant of €5,000 for the new classroom was also approved and the funding has been drawn down by the school. Scoil Bhaile Nua is a four teacher school and enrolments are stable. In September 2010, the school authority applied for further significant funding to replace a temporary classroom, expand existing classrooms and provide ancillary accommodation including a general purpose room. The school authority was advised that it was not possible to facilitate the request at that time. With the approval of the additional classroom, the school's accommodation will consist of four mainstream classrooms and a further room to be used as a multi-purpose resource room.

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