Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I am glad the Senator has given me the opportunity of outlining to the House the Department's current position regarding the proposed building project for St. Joseph's national school, Glanmire, County Cork. The school has a principal, 19 mainstream class teachers, two learning support teachers and three resource teachers. The enrolment at 30 September 2002 was 566 pupils. The school's present facilities consist of 12 classrooms, a general purpose room and five prefabs. The Department has an extensive primary schools building programme. It is under way and includes 400 major building projects at various stages of architectural planning. Details of the programme and the schools in architectural planning are available on the Department's website at www.education.ie.

The proposed building project at St. Joseph's national school, Glanmire, is at the early stages of architectural planning. Decisions on projects proceeding to tender and construction in 2003, including the proposed project at St. Joseph's national school, will be taken in the light of the annual allocation for primary school buildings, taking into account the financial commitments to be met on projects and the priority to be afforded to individual projects.

In the meantime, it is the responsibility of the board of management to ensure essential health and safety issues at the school are attended to. It should, therefore, continue to use the devolved grant for minor works. If the cost of any works of an emergency nature exceeds the amount available under the devolved grant, it may apply to the Department's building unit for additional grant aid. Again, I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity of outlining the current position to the House.