Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)

I thank the Senator for affording me the opportunity of outlining the proposals of the Department of Education and Science in respect of the proposed refurbishment project at Lanesboro community college in Longford. The Department of Education and Science received an application from County Longford VEC for the refurbishment of the existing building at Lanesboro community college. I am pleased to inform the Senator that the proposed refurbishment project for the school is at the early stages of architectural planning on the 2004 school building programme and has been assigned a band 2 rating by the Department in accordance with the published criteria for prioritising projects. When publishing the 2004 school building programme, the Department outlined that its strategy for the future will be grounded in capital investment based on multi-annual allocations.

Officials from the Department of Education and Science are also currently reviewing all projects that were not authorised to proceed to construction as part of the 2004 school building programme, including the project at Lanesboro community college, with a view to including them as part of a multi-annual school building programme from 2005. The Department expects to make further announcements in this regard before the end of the year. I thank the Senator once again for raising this matter and I hope this clarifies the position.