Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senators Kitt and Ulick Burke for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science the Department's current position regarding the allocation of funding for schools building projects. The capital programme has been published and full details are available on the Department's website at www.education.ie. The programme is designed to give the maximum amount of information to managers, principals, parents, students and public representatives and the criteria used have been clearly outlined.

The building programme amounts to €342.9 million. Senator Kitt, like Senator Terry with regard to a different school, believes that very little of that budget would be needed to provide for a new school at Gaelscoil uí Cheithearnaigh, Ballinasloe, County Galway. The programme will deliver over 140 large scale projects at primary and post primary level, and over 400 schools will benefit in some way from the capital programme. The budgetary allocation for 2004 and subsequent years will determine the rate of progress on projects at schools currently at architectural planning stage, including that referred to by the Senator. If that were to be approved early next year, it would be foolish to suggest that the school would be up and running soon after with proper facilities provided for the 195 students.

Some 13 years ago, there were only six students at the school, whereas that has increased to 195, an amazing record. The school is a victim of its own success. Parents clearly have confidence in the staff, despite their having to work in poor conditions and over-crowded rooms as outlined by the Senators. Pupils also have to cross a dangerous street, which I am familiar with, to get to and from the school.