Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for affording me this opportunity to raise this matter. I wish to speak about the urgent need for the Minister for Education and Science to address the serious delay in granting permission to St. Mary's community school, Buttevant, County Cork, to build a new school to provide for an increase in the student population.

This issue has been ongoing for more than ten years. It was last raised by my predecessor and late father in April 2007. As yet, no progress has been made in this regard. The staff and pupils, as well as the people of Buttevant, have been waiting for ten years for this project to be expedited and I now call on the Minister to tell the people of Buttevant when she intends to notify County Cork Vocational Education Committee of her approval of the new school.

When I was a member of Cork County Council, it took a proactive decision to rezone lands for the purpose of designating an educational site to provide for this school. At present, the school principal and those who are involved in the school only seek the appointment of a design team to enable them at least to move to a stage from which progress can be made on this issue.

The school itself is characterised by buildings which in some instances date back to pre-Famine times. As the enrolment has increased from 182 last year to 194 this year, is set to rise by at least a further ten next year and is increasing on a yearly basis, the people of Buttevant and the school authorities wonder when the Department will expedite this matter.

The layouts of the buildings are of a very poor standard and design because the building is not a purpose-built school. The staffroom is very cramped and there are no sporting facilities. The school is obliged to use the local GAA facilities for physical education and other sporting uses. As the site has been purchased on foot of the rezoning, that step of the process has been undertaken. I call for some progress on this matter and for the Minister for Education and Science at least to deliver on a promise and commitment to the people of Buttevant because the population of Buttevant and the school's catchment area is increasing yearly. It is anticipated that Buttevant's location on a main national primary route will make it a far more attractive place to live in future and the needs of the local secondary school on a new greenfield site must be met in that context.

This issue has been ongoing for more than ten years and the people of Buttevant and of north Cork wish to see some progress in this regard. I ask the Minister to take this on board and expedite the matter and bring it to design stage in 2008. I will conclude by wishing the Acting Chairman, the staff and Members all the best for the season and for 2008.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As he stated, it was raised previously by his late father and I understand the Deputy's interest in this school. This affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and to outline the position regarding the proposed new post-primary school in Buttevant.

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 in this area, as well as the need to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth. Nonetheless, since taking office, the Government has shown a focused 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, more than €540 million will be spent on school building and modernisation projects in the current year on primary and post-primary schools. Since 1997, a total of €3 billion has been invested in school buildings and this has delivered more than 7,800 school building projects. The further investment of more than €540 million is building on these achievements and will focus in particular on the provision of school accommodation in areas where the population is growing at a rapid rate. As further evidence of our commitment, national development plan funding of approximately €4.5 billion will be invested in schools over the coming years. I am sure the Deputy will agree that this record level of investment is a positive testament to the high priority the Government attaches to ensuring school accommodation is of the highest standard possible.

On the specific issue of the proposed new post-primary school in Buttevant, the existing school is the only post-primary school in the town and is a co-educational provider with a current enrolment of more than 180 mainstream pupils. County Cork Vocational Education Committee applied to the school planning section of the Department for funding towards the provision of a new post-primary school building on a greenfield site. The proposed new school building was to cater for a long-term projected enrolment of 325 pupils and the proposed project reached an early stage of architectural planning in 2001.

In light of declining enrolments at the school, the school planning section carried out a review of second level education provision in the area in consultation with the school authority. This took into account factors such as enrolment trends at the school, the impact of projected housing developments and existing school provision in the general area.

A schedule of overall accommodation has been agreed with County Cork VEC to cater for a long-term enrolment of 325 pupils. The building project required to deliver the new accommodation is being considered in the context of the schools building and modernisation programme.

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter and allowing me to outline the progress being made under the schools building and modernisation programme and the position on the proposed new post-primary school in Buttevant. I wish him, all the staff and everybody else a happy Christmas.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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That is a virtual cut and paste of the answer given to my predecessor in April 2007.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is consistent.