John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil don Seanadóir as ucht an cheist a ardú. I am familiar with the case of Glenswilly national school since Deputy Keaveney also raised the matter with me. If I were Senator McHugh, I am not sure I would be highlighting the fact the school first applied for its extension in 1992, given that his party was in Government since then. The project did not progress in that period because the school's application was not for extra classrooms but for ancillary accommodation. When money was not as plentiful for the school building programme, priority was not given to ancillary accommodation but to classrooms.

However, as the Senator stated, enrolment has increased substantially in recent years. There is a staff principal and eight mainstream assistant teachers, two school-based learning support teachers and two resource teachers, a large complement of staff. This has put pressure on schools throughout the country in its own way because since we made so many resource and special needs teachers available, they all now need space. It was as a result of a positive policy decision that there is increased pressure on schools for space and Glenswilly national school is in that position. Having recognised the extra teachers and increased enrolment, it was important that the planning and development unit would look at the numbers in the school at present and, given the rate of development of the area, that it would plan for future enrolment so that capital funding provided now would meet the school's needs into the future.

That assessment has been completed and the long-term projected staffing figure has also been determined and notified to the school authority, which has agreed it. The next stage is the drawing up of the accommodation brief, which will require a site visit, the next stage in the process. I assure the Senator that will get under way immediately.

This year we are spending almost €500 million on schools, with at least 1,100 school building projects being undertaken. In playing catch-up, as we are with 4,000 schools, and added teacher investment and increased enrolment, we are trying to spread the money as best we can. The school may say it has been waiting since 1992 but the application it submitted at the time was not for classrooms.

Progress has been made at the Department. Enrolments and staff requirements have been agreed and we will now arrange a site visit and I will then look at the school in the context of the next building programme.