Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I wish I could do so. Perhaps I might have been able to oblige if the school in question had applied for consideration under this year's programme. Unfortunately, it apparently neglected to do so. However, I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline details of the funding allocated to St. Macdara's College to improve its accommodation, and to outline the process under which the school can obtain further funding.

Modernising facilities in our 3,200 primary and 750 post-primary schools is not an easy task given the legacy of under-investment in this area as well as the need to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth. Nevertheless, since taking office, the Government has shown a sincere determination to improve the condition of our school buildings and to ensure the appropriate facilities are in place to enable the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum.

We have progressively increased funding for the school modernisation programme in recent years to achieve our goal. An aggregate total of almost €2 billion has been allocated for this purpose since 1998, the largest investment programme in the history of the State. Since the beginning of the year the Department of Education and Science has made a number of announcements relating to the schools building and modernisation programme. This year alone, €270 million will be allocated to primary schools and a further €223 million to post-primary schools for building works. This represents an increase of 14% on the 2004 allocation.

The programmes supported will include the following: 141 major building projects already on site and a further 28 due to commence in the coming weeks; 122 major school building projects countrywide which will prepare tenders and move to construction during 2005; 192 primary schools which have been invited to take part in the small and rural schools initiative; up to 120 schools which have been given approval to rent temporary premises pending delivery of a permanent solution to their long-term accommodation needs; 43 schools which have been authorised to commence architectural planning of their major projects and 124 which have been approved to progress through the architectural planning process; and 590 schools which were given approval to complete essential small-scale projects, such as that to which the Senator refers, under the summer works scheme.

I am pleased to inform the Senator that St. Macdara's College is included in the latter category in respect of the funding it has secured to upgrade its gas system at an estimated cost of €66,000. It was not possible, however, to provide funding for a science room in St. Macdara's College in 2004 when the school applied for it under the summer works programme because of the need to progress other higher priority projects first. As I have just outlined, with the extra funding provided for the summer works scheme in 2005, the school's application for upgrading of its gas systems was successful. Regrettably, however, the school did not apply for a science room under the 2005 summer works scheme.

Should the school apply for a science room under the 2006 summer works scheme, details of which will be announced later this year, the Minister for Education and Science assures me that every consideration will be given to its application. I thank the Senator for raising this matter and I will bring his concerns to the attention of the Minister.