Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason for the delay in the construction of a new primary school (details supplied) in County Galway in view of the fact that a site has been acquired and there is overcrowding and poor physical conditions throughout the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44464/09]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The project at the school to which the Deputy refers has a complicated history from its inception as a small extension and refurbishment of the existing school through several revisions of the brief to its current brief, which is to provide a new eight-classroom school on a greenfield site. The fact that my Department has purchased a new greenfield site for the school demonstrates our commitment to the project. I accept that the project has been in architectural planning for a considerable period. However, the Deputy will appreciate that, with more than 200 other major projects progressing through architectural planning, it is not possible to move all projects to construction at the same time or even in the same year.

All applications for large-scale capital funding are assessed against published prioritisation criteria that were introduced in 2004 following consultation with the education partners. Under the criteria, each project is assigned a band rating that reflects the type of works required and the urgency attaching to them. There are four band ratings, with band one being the highest and band four the lowest. Projects are progressed in accordance with the band rating assigned to them and when funding allows. This project has a band rating of 2.2, which is consistent with its current brief.

The project is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The stage 2(a) submission, which is the developed sketch design stage, was approved in July 2008. However, due to the competing demands on my Department's capital budget, it was not possible to authorise the project to progress further at that time.

The proposed building project at the school will be considered in the context of the Department's multi-annual school building and modernisation programme for 2010. While I will take account of the issues raised by the Deputy, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of the Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the delivery of the project at this time.

Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State has conveniently ignored the fact that this project has been in the planning and design stage for 14 years. The Department has spent €150,000 on its design and planning. It has spent a further €500,000 on the site's purchase despite it not being the preferred site, which would have cost less than half of that. Will the Minister of State explain why a more expensive site was chosen?

In 2007, 60 builders were asked to tender for this project.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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How many?

Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Sixty builders tendered for the project following a public advertisement in 2007 and were short-listed.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question, please.

Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The board of management and the principal were called to Tullamore and told that the school project had been suspended. That word was used. Why was it suspended after going to tender and incurring such an expense? It is being placed in the GRD scheme and, having lost its place, moved from band one to band two, where 350 schools are ahead of it. There is no justification for this. Why was it done to a school with 117 pupils, including a large number of special needs pupils? The principal's office is in the staff toilet. No school in the country, not even in the pressure areas of Dublin, Meath and so on, must endure such conditions.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Hear, hear.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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In 2000, the board of management identified a site that was deemed suitable for the proposed new school building. The Department gave the board approval to acquire the site on the basis that the Minister would purchase it from the school's management subsequently. The vendor agreed in writing in a letter to the board of management to the sale of the site in 2003. In February 2005, however, the vendor wrote to the board to advise it that, as property prices had risen significantly since the site's valuation in 2000, she would request that the price be increased in line with that.

On 7 April 2005, the Department wrote to the board and asked whether the former could enter into negotiations with the vendor directly. This was agreed. In line with what was then normal practice, the OPW identified two other sites as well as the one eventually acquired, as it was the cheapest option. The deal on the site was formally closed by the OPW in 2007. The Department is committed to this project, as demonstrated by its purchase of the site in question.

Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Will the Minister of State clarify why the school has lost its position? Despite having been put out to tender, its rating has been lowered and it must compete with 350 other projects for finances and resources within the Department. Why was there a change from a six-classroom school, which satisfied the board of management, principal and parents? Was a stalling tactic used and the carrot of eight classrooms held out despite the original tender being for six classrooms?

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Department did not use stalling tactics. It is not the Department's policy. Projects are assessed each year in the context of the Department's multi-annual school building and modernisation programme. The project in question will be considered in this context in 2010.

The school's rating is 2.2, but band ratings are considered on an ongoing basis and can change over the years. The Department is committed to this project, which is at stage 2(a).

Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Having been in band 1.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, it must go through a number of subsequent stages, including stages 2(b), 3, 4 and 5, the last being the handing over of works.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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And that is not stalling.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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These projects are considered in the context of the resources that are available to the Minister annually.