Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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It has been a longer day than usual. I sat through the entire Report Stage of the Finance Bill 2006, but I am grateful for the opportunity to raise the issue of a group of schools building projects in my constituency which is causing ongoing concern and controversy for the school managements and the parents of pupils in each of the schools involved. School building in Cork may have suffered from an expectation created by the term in office of my constituency colleague, Deputy Martin, as Minister for Education and Science from 1997 to 2000. Since the change of Ministers in 2000 school building in Cork has slowed down to a trickle.

Among the schools I have included in my question on the Adjournment are four primary schools, though one may be a putative primary school, and two secondary schools, all of which became political issues as we approached the general election in 2002. I am a member of the Committee of Public Accounts and we put questions to the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science, who assured us there was no geographic bias in terms of where schools were built. It is strange, however, that the blips in school building programmes seem to follow the appointment of particular Ministers in particular constituencies. Perhaps that is just a gift the Taoiseach has for making these appointments, but the inverse is that where school buildings were built at a quicker than average rate they tended not to be built in subsequent years.

Some of these schools have waited four or five years and there is no sign of progress. The Government must give a clear explanation for the delays. Some schools have experienced difficulty with land acquisition but parents and the boards of management wonder why the Department, or the Office of Public Works acting on behalf of the Department, is not more proactive.

The primary school in Passage West was all set for development in 2000 but the Seveso directive threw it into doubt because it was within a quarter mile of a dangerous industrial facility, the IFI plant in Marino Point. With the closure of IFI, which had serious economic implications, it was thought the road was clear to build the new school. Three years on there is still no development.

Rochestown is an area of high population where the land is being provided but there still seems to be no clear decision from the Department as to when a new school will be provided.

Carrigaline is a Gaelscoil which is very successful in terms of student intake. Most of its pupils, however, continue to sit in prefabricated structures and the parents and board of management are entitled to demand answers from the Department.

The two secondary schools are in my own community, Ashtown and Coláiste Chríost Rí. Both have been waiting for ancillary facilities in the shape of PE halls and modified classrooms and learning centres. As the primary schools, they have been waiting half a decade and more for positive decisions and the start of construction work on their projects.

The questions are very simple. Why are so many projects outstanding and why is it so in this particular community? The process seems out of step with the average waiting time for schools throughout the country and, as the TD for that constituency, I would like to be able to assure my constituents that their expectations will be met at the earliest opportunity. If the Minister can offer any words of comfort in the way of dates or decisions on resources many people in my constituency will be pleased.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am giving the reply to the matter raised by Deputy Boyle on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin. I welcome the fact that the matter has been raised as it affords the Minister the opportunity to outline to the House the strategy of the Department of Education and Science for capital investment in education projects and to outline the position on the development of both primary and secondary education provision in Cork South-Central.

Modernising facilities in our 3,200 primary and 750 post-primary schools is not an easy task, given the legacy of decades of under-investment as well as the need to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth. Nonetheless, since taking office, this Government has shown a sincere determination to improve the condition of our school buildings and to ensure that the appropriate facilities are in place to enable the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum. As evidence of this commitment there will be 1,300 building and modernisation projects active in our primary and post-primary schools during 2006. Over €490 million has been spent on primary and post-primary projects throughout the country.

Ballygarvan national school is a co-educational primary school. Enrolments have been increasing in recent years from 140 pupils in September 2000 to 183 pupils in the current year. The Department has received an application from the school authority for a new school building. Having examined the application and ruled out the possibility of extending the existing school to provide the accommodation required, the need for a new school building was acknowledged. The property management section of the Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of the Department in site acquisitions generally, was requested to identify and acquire a suitable site for the new school building for Ballygarvan national school. A site has been identified comprising three adjoining parcels of land belonging to three different owners. Negotiations have concluded with the vendors of one of these parcels of land and draft contracts are currently with the Chief State Solicitor's Office. A price has been agreed for a second parcel of land and contract documents are now awaited. The matter of the acquisition of the third parcel of land is ongoing. When site acquisition is finalised, the delivery of the new school building will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme.

Star of the Sea, Passage West, is a co-educational primary school with a current enrolment of 277 pupils. On foot of its application, a decision was taken to provide a new school building on a new site. A site has been acquired to facilitate the construction of a new school building. The long-term projected staffing, on which the precise accommodation needs of the school will be based, is almost finalised. When this is completed, the project will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme.

Gaelscoil Carrig Ui Leighin is a co-educational primary school. Enrolments have been increasing in recent years from 239 pupils in September 2000 to 386 pupils in the current year. The Department has received an application from the school authority for an extension consisting of six classrooms. The long-term projected staffing on which the accommodation needs will be based has been determined. The proposed project will be considered in the context of the school building programme.

The need for a new primary school in the Rochestown area of Cork is acknowledged. A site has been reserved by the local authority. Acquisition of the site and the building project required to deliver a new school building is being considered in the context of the school building and modernization programme 2006-10.

Ashton School is a co-educational second level school with a current enrolment of 523 pupils. It was included in the 2005 building programme for the provision of a new school. The appointment of a design team is under way.

Coláiste Chríost Rí is an all boys school with a current enrolment of 684 pupils. The Department has an application for a PE hall at the school. This project is being considered in the context of the school building programme.

I thank Deputy Boyle for giving the Minister the opportunity to outline to the House the method used by her Department in determining in an open and transparent way how projects are included for funding in the school building programme and I assure Deputy Boyle and the House that the schools referred to and all others will be treated in a fair and equitable manner.