Dáil debates

Wednesday, 9 April 2008

Other Questions

Schools Building Projects.

3:00 pm

Photo of Seán SherlockSeán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position following her decision to approve the replacement of the existing temporary accommodation in a school (details supplied) in County Cork; the next stage to replace the present obsolete structures, including prefabs, with a new school within the new building approval and administrative system in the context of the multi annual school building and modernisation programme; when work will commence; when the new school buildings will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13205/08]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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All applications for capital funding are assessed by my Department. The assessment process determines the extent and type of need presenting based on the demographics of an area, proposed housing developments, condition of buildings, site capacity etc., leading ultimately to an appropriate accommodation solution. As part of this process, a project is assigned a band rating under published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. These criteria were devised following consultation with the education partners.

Projects are selected for inclusion in the school building and modernisation programme on the basis of priority of need. This is reflected in the band rating assigned to a project. In other words, a proposed building project moves through the system commensurate with the band rating assigned to it.

The school to which the Deputy refers is a co-educational primary facility with a September 2007 enrolment of 91 pupils. It has a current staffing of a principal, three mainstream classroom assistants and one permanent learning support-resource teacher.

The board of management has applied for a new school building. A project of this nature attracts a band two rating. In the new school, it is intended to provide accommodation for a long-term staffing of a principal, eight mainstream classroom assistants together with appropriate ancillary accommodation. This level of accommodation has been agreed with the school authority.

The next step for the project is the appointment of a design team. Such a step will take place as part of the implementation of the current school building and modernisation programme and the timing of this appointment will reflect the fact that the project has a band two rating. Due to other competing priorities in the school building programme, I am not in a position at this stage to indicate when it will be possible to approve the appointment of a design team. However, as soon as it becomes possible to do so, the Department will be in contact with the school authorities.

To improve conditions at the school in the meantime, I have approved the replacement of the four existing prefabs with new ones. The Department is awaiting tenders from the school in this regard. I know the existing prefabs have been a cause of some difficulty for the school due to their condition and I want to assure the Deputy, once the tenders are received, a speedy response will issue from my Department to the board of management.