Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this important issue for students, parents and teachers in south Sligo. Carn national school is a two-classroom school which was built in 1885, 124 years ago. In 1995, a portable classroom was made available to the school. Current enrolment is 70 children and projected enrolment for 2010 is 80 children. Currently, the school employs three teachers, one learning support teacher and one resource teacher on a part time basis. Resource teaching is held in the hallway or a small area partitioned off from one of the original classrooms, which is the principal's office.

The school is located on a small site, described by an official from the Department of Education and Science as a postage stamp. It is located on the Ballina-Dublin Road, which is a busy road close to a dangerous junction. There are no parking facilities for staff or parents dropping off children at school. The school is served by a septic tank located on the land of an adjoining farm and is currently causing many problems. There is no green space where children can play. This year there has been 14 near accidents at the school when parents were dropping off or collecting children from the school. The board of management has expressed grave concern for the children as a result of these near accidents. It is also concerned that responsibility in this regard may fall back on them as board members. It is unfair to put people in such a position.

I acknowledge the work done by the board of management which has obtained a site on which to build a new school. The site is adjacent to a football pitch, is of ample size and safe. The parents of the children attending the school have raised funds to provide for construction of a 100 yard long road into the site. While that might not sound like much it took a great deal of hard work and commitment by parents, many of whose children may never use the school as they will have gone through the system.

I implore the Minister to take on board the difficulties being experienced by these students, teachers and parents. This issue must be addressed. The Minister during his last visit to Sligo visited Carn national school and is aware of conditions there and of the difficulties experienced by teachers while trying to work in such an environment and by the children being educated in this environment.

I implore the Minister and his officials to prioritise this school which is, I believe, one of the worst in this country today.

Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I am happy to take this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe who, unfortunately, cannot be present. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and to outline the current position in relation to Cam national school, Gurteen, County Sligo.

Cam national school applied for a new four classroom school and the project was assigned a band rating of 2.2. The existing school site is very restricted at 0.2 acres and is not suitable for expansion. The school authorities have advised the Department that a parish site could be made available. The Minister for Education and Science visited the school late last year and noted the pressures on its current accommodation which is more than 120 years old. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to progress this project in the current economic circumstance.

As the Deputy will be aware, all applications for capital funding are assessed in the planning and building unit of the 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 and so on 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.

There are four band ratings overall, of which band one is the highest and band four the lowest. For example, band one projects include the provision of buildings where none currently exist but there is a high demand for pupil places while a band four project makes provision of desirable but not necessarily urgent or essential facilities. Each band rating has several sub-categories which more specifically describes the type of works needed and the urgency attaching to them. A band rating of 2.2 has been applied to the project for Cam national school under this process.

The Deputy will also be aware that the allocation for school buildings in 2009 is €614 million, which represents a significant investment in the school building and modernisation programme. This level of funding for the building programme, at a time of great pressure on public finances, is a sign of the very real commitment of this Government to investing in school infrastructure and will permit the continuation of progress in the overall improvement of school accommodation. However, the level of demand on the school building programme is such that all projects cannot be carried out together. They will have to be carried out over time in a structured and coherent manner and this is the reasoning behind the Department's published prioritisation criteria. The project for Cam national school will be carried out consistent with this approach. In the intervening period, the school can apply for temporary accommodation to meet its needs if this is necessary.

I want to thank the Deputy again for raising this matter.