Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I thank Senator Ulick Burke for giving me the opportunity of outlining my Department's plans on the proposed extension project at Moyglass national school, Loughrea, County Galway. At present the school has a principal, one mainstream class teacher and one shared support teacher. The enrolment on 30 September 2004 was 37.

The school authorities were authorised to proceed to tender for the provision of an extension and refurbishment of the existing building as part of the 2004 school building programme. The tender report was received in my Department last September but the outcome of the tender process is substantially in excess of what was envisaged.

The school authorities and their design team have been asked to achieve substantial savings to bring the project cost down to an appropriate level of investment for a school this size. When the school and the design team respond with these savings, the matter of this project progressing will be considered further by my Department.