Seanad debates

Tuesday, 4 November 2003

Adjournment Matters. - Schools Building Projects.

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Noel TreacyNoel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

Gabhaim buíochas don Seanadóir as ucht na deise seo a thabhairt dom tuarascáil chruinn bheacht a chur faoi bhráid an tSeanaid ar an ábhar seo ar son an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta faoin iarratas le suíomh buan do Ghaelscoil Charman i gcondae Loch Garman.

Scoil Charman was granted permanent recognition on 26 January 1996. Consistent with the standard practice which applies to all newly formed schools awaiting permanent accommodation, responsibility for the provision of temporary accommodation rests with the school's management authority. It is the statutory responsibility of a school's management authority to ensure the accommodation it provides for its pupils and staff complies with relevant health and safety legislation and building regulations. Notwithstanding this responsibility, the school is currently accommodated in a vacant factory unit for which the local authority has not granted planning permission for change of use of the premises. The school management authority has appealed the local authority's refusal in this matter to An Bord Pleanála and, the Minister for Education and Science understands, re-applied to the local authority for change of use permission. All in all, this is a very unsatisfactory state of affairs.

As a minimum measure, it is not unreasonable to expect that a body charged with the overall management of a school would not occupy a building in respect of which the local authority has not granted planning permission for use as a school. The Minister for Education and Science is, however, pleased to be able to re-assure Senator Tuffy and the House that his Department is committed to providing permanent accommodation for Scoil Charman. The Department has bought a four acre site on which it is planned to build an entirely new eight classroom school. Architectural planning of the new school is at an advanced stage. When precisely the project will proceed to construction depends on resources. No decisions will be made in respect of this matter in advance of the publication of the 2004 schools building programme. The Department of Education and Science expects to be in a position to publish the 2004 programme early in the new year.

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