Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State for taking this important matter in relation to Glasnevin Educate Together. The Minister of State will, no doubt, be aware the school was established almost ten years ago in 2002 in the Glasnevin area. Like many schools formed throughout the country it has not been given recognition or a school building. The school is in limbo in that the Department has not granted it recognition despite it having an enrolment of 230 pupils, representing Ireland and 20 other countries. Some 768 pre-enrolled children are anxious to attend the school yet for almost a decade the Government has not seen fit to give it recognition or to address its accommodation needs.

Currently, the school is largely accommodated in portacabins which are old, dark, cramped, ant infested, too hot in the summer and cold and damp in the winter. These are not satisfactory conditions for children to be taught in. Unfortunately, there are too many similar situations. I know the Minister and Minister of State are concerned about the number of schools they have inherited in such conditions. This is particularly true of gaelscoileanna and educate together schools. There appears to be a reluctance on the part of the Department of Education and Skills to grant these schools recognition and to address their accommodation needs.

It would be worthwhile for the Minister to compile a database of all schools in this situation. This would provide a pattern countrywide which would allow the Minister to address this issue. I am sure the Minister and Minister of State have access to all that information. Glasnevin Educate Together has been awaiting recognition for some time. Accommodation at the school is unsuitable and substandard for children to be taught in in this day and age. In any day and age these conditions would be considered substandard. There is a huge waiting list to attend this school. The Department has been sitting on its hands in relation to this matter. I urge the Minister of State to take on board what I and Glasnevin Educate Together have been saying on a continuing basis to the Department, grant the school formal recognition and commence construction of a permanent new school for the children of Glasnevin and surrounding areas.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn.

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in school building projects and also to outline the current position concerning the long term accommodation requirements at Glasnevin Educate Together national school. The Minister would also like to take the opportunity to note the regular representations he has received from the Deputy, and also from the Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, in relation to this school.

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 forth, leading to an appropriate accommodation solution.

Projects are selected for inclusion in the schools' building and modernisation programme on the basis of priority of need which is reflected in the band rating assigned to a project. As part of this process, a project is assigned a band rating under the published prioritisation criteria for large-scale building projects. These criteria were devised following consultation with the education partners.

Glasnevin Educate Together school is currently located in temporary accommodation in the Glasnevin area. The school is operating with provisional recognition from the Department and this was awarded on the basis that it would be providing multidenominational education in the Clontarf-Marino-Fairview area of Dublin. In light of demographic changes in the Glasnevin area, it would now appear that a need exists in the area in which the school is now operating. On this basis, the Department is currently considering the school's request for permanent recognition and expects to be in a position to convey a decision to the school authority shortly. This position was communicated to the school patron at a recent meeting with the Department.

On the question of a permanent accommodation solution for the school, the school authority has made a number of suggestions to the Department regarding the acquisition of a permanent site for the school. Department officials have conducted technical inspections of two such properties. Arising from these inspections, a preferred option was identified. Subsequently, a proposal was made to the landowner regarding a possible acquisition of the property in question. This proposal is under consideration by the landowner in question and a response is awaited by the Department. When this response is received, it will be considered in detail and the acquisition of a suitable site and the delivery of new school buildings will be considered in the context of existing commitments and other competing demands on the Department's capital budget.