Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this important matter, relating to a national school in Emly, County Tipperary, which was given a grant of €100,000 for the construction of an additional classroom. The site is classified as a protected structure and, as a result, it must comply with a number of local and national planning regulations before planning permission will be granted. The office of the Minister is aware of the finer details of the case but, for the sake of the House, I will list some of the difficulties that arose when the school submitted its planning application. Some of the restrictions placed on the school mean it must extend the existing roof to mirror the far side of the building, despite the fact this is not structurally necessary. The school has been forced to clad the entire extension in expensive stone and limestone, in keeping with the pre-1960s structure. The school has been forced to install cast-iron rainwater gullies to match those of existing buildings. All of these requirements have affected the cost and size of the proposed extension outside the control of the board of management. That means it has not been possible for the school to deliver the required classroom within the budget allocated by the Department. In one of the most recent items of correspondence from the Department, officials in the planning and building unit are satisfied the grant approved is sufficient to provide the approved level of accommodation. I am curious to see if the estimates include the additional costs associated with the extra planning restrictions.

Under the initial application, it is my understanding that the school changed the scope of the work for which funding had been improved. However, the school and the engineers in question have made a number of compromises in recent months in an attempt to reduce the costs involved. They are still some way from the delivery of the project on budget. I understand funds for projects such as this are limited but I am adamant that Emly national school stands alone in making this case. I understand what the planning authorities are trying to do but more money is needed. Some compromise could be made with the board of management and it is extremely unfair that the Department does not extend a one-off provision in respect of the school.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me an opportunity to outline to the House the position of the Department of Education and Skills regarding the allocation of funding for Emly national school, County Tipperary. I am also aware that the Deputy has raised this matter with the Minister's advisers on a number of occasions.

In July 2010, following an application by the school authority, Emly national school was approved funding of €100,000 under the additional accommodation scheme to provide an 80 sq. m permanent mainstream classroom to the school. It is a central tenet of the scheme that responsibility for the management of a project, including cost control, rests with the school authority. The conditions of this approved funding were set out to the school in a letter of 6 July 2010, which explained that any works carried out over and above the level of grant aid approved must be borne by the school authority.

In March 2011, the school authority wrote to the Department of Education and Skills requesting additional funding of more than €124,000 in addition to the original funding approved of €100,000. This would bring the costs of building one mainstream classroom to more than €224,000. This is well in excess of the normal basic building costs of €100,000 for a single classroom extension. The school explained that the additional funding was as a result of planning conditions imposed on the building project, including conditions associated with the fact that the school is a listed building and required cladding to the front and side elevation of the extension. A thorough examination of a project with cost increases of this magnitude is essential to the efficient and effective administration of funding under this scheme. Officials in the Department's planning and building unit undertook such an examination and it was discovered that the school had significantly increased the scope of works to that which was originally approved. The scope of works approved had been increased to a classroom of 104 sq. m, instead of 80 sq. m agreed, a disabled toilet, a staffroom and extensive circulation space. An assessment of the case indicated that even with the planning conditions imposed, the likely extension costs including planning requirements, could be achieved within the original grant of €100,000. In July 2011, the school authorities were notified that the application for additional funding was unsuccessful. The school authorities were informed of the reasons for the refusal and that it was open to the school to reduce the scope of works to stay within the grant allocated.

I am sure the Deputy appreciates there are many competing demands on the Department of Education and Skills capital resources and in this context it must prioritise applications for the provision of much needed additional mainstream classroom accommodation. A total of €357 million will be spent under the Department's school building programme this year alone. In the current economic climate, it is essential that costs are kept under control in the construction of school buildings and that those responsible ensure that value for money is achieved for the taxpayer. In this way, we can ensure completion of the maximum number of projects from within the funds available to the Minister for Education and Skills for the school building programme. I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline the current position to the House.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I could not wait to get up.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I can see the Deputy Hayes could hardly contain himself.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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The inaccuracies in that response are a disgrace to any Deputy in this House. It is simply wrong to make that point about the size of the school and the extra accommodation. The Department official who wrote this response should be ashamed of himself or herself. I met officials from the Minister's office and it was agreed with the school to build the school needed under the criteria of the allocation. The problem is the extra features imposed by the council. That is what is costing the money. It is unfair to say the extension is bigger than the normal size. That is not right and I cannot accept it. I defy departmental officials to come to the school in Emly in the coming weeks as a matter of urgency. I do not want to use the word lies but blatant untruths have been told to me in respect of the information available to the Department. I know the Minister is not responsible but I ask him to explain what I have said to the Minister for Education and Skills and to ask the officials to come to Emily to see the difficulties on the ground. The people of this village are being disenfranchised through the total neglect of the school by the Department. It is time the Department copped itself on.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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No one wishes to be the bearer of untruths, mistruths or whatever term Deputy Hayes wishes to use. If this is not accurate, someone will be held responsible. For clarity's sake, let us make sure we are comparing apples with apples, not apples with oranges. I said the classroom was 104 sq. m instead of 80 sq. m.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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That is wrong.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I said there was a disabled toilet, a staffroom and extensive circulation space. If this information is inaccurate, the record of the Dáil will have to be corrected by the relevant Minister and I will certainly bring the matter to his notice.