Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it allows me to clarify the current position of the proposed building project for Holy Rosary College, Mountbellew, County Galway, in the context of the Government's strategy for capital investment in school building projects over the next five years. To ensure every child has access to a school place, the delivery of projects to meet future demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools over the coming years. The five-year construction programme outlines when 275 selected major projects will progress to construction over the next five years as part of a €2 billion capital investment programme. Those projects will account for most of the capital funding available from now until 2016.

Total enrolment is expected to grow by around 70,000 students between now and 2018, which is just six years away. This will involve an increase of over 45,000 pupils at primary level and 25,000 students at post-primary level. Holy Rosary College Mountbellew is in the Castleblakeney and Mountbellew post-primary feeder area. There are also two other post-primary schools in the feeder area, namely St. Cuan's College, Castleblakeney, and Coláiste an Chreagáin, Mountbellew.

At post-primary level, the total enrolments for the area have been relatively stable over the past decade. The enrolments for 2011 and 2012 stood at 834 pupils across the three schools. Based on the current intake pattern for the schools, the Department has projected that enrolments will remain stable with a predicted total enrolment figure of 816 by 2023.

The proposed building project at Holy Rosary College is to provide accommodation for a long-term projected enrolment of 550 pupils. Enrolment in the school in September 2011 was at 547 pupils. The brief includes the provision of a PE hall, a language lab, a computer room, a music and drama area, a religion room and other ancillary accommodation. Some refurbishment of the existing school building also forms part of the brief. The building project has completed the design stages of architectural planning and remains available to be considered for progression to tender and construction should additional funding become available to the Department in future years.

The stage 2(b) submission, which includes full detailed design and tender documents, was approved by my Department on 30 November 2011. However, due to the competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements, it was not possible to include the project for Holy Rosary College in the five year construction programme announced in March.

All school building projects which have not been included in the five year construction programme, but which were previously announced for inclusion in the building programme, will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to the Department in future years. The project for Holy Rosary College remains available to be considered for progression in this context. However, it is not possible at this time to progress the project to tender and construction stage. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter with me.

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