Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I could give the short version of the answer to this matter but I should give the longer version because we must defend ourselves from suggestions that this Government has made empty promises. There have been unprecedented levels of investment by this Government over the past nine years.

Dealing specifically with Lanesboro Community College, I thank the Senator for raising this matter because it affords me the opportunity to outline to the Seanad the proposals of the Department of Education and Science on the proposed refurbishment project at Lanesboro Community College.

Modernising facilities in our 3,200 primary and 750 post-primary schools is not an easy task given the legacy of decades of underinvestment in this area, as well as the need to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth. Nonetheless, since taking office in 1997, this Government has shown a sincere determination to improve the condition of our school buildings and to ensure that the appropriate facilities are in place to enable the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum.

In this regard this Government has invested in the largest school building programme in the history of the State. Between 1998 and the end of 2004, almost €2 billion was invested in school buildings and in the region of 7,500 large and small projects were completed in schools, including 130 brand new schools and 510 large-scale refurbishments and extensions. Indeed, funding for school building and renovation projects has increased five-fold since 1997. In 2006, €491 million will be spent on school building projects, compared with just €92 million in 1997. The 2006 allocation is, in its own right, an increase of over 9% in real terms on the 2005 allocation.

At the end of last year the Minister for Education and Science outlined the spending plans of the Department for primary and post-primary schools for 2006. With €491 million to be spent on school buildings, there will be over 1,300 projects active in schools all over the country. This significant investment will allow the Department to continue the major programme of school buildings and modernisation, which includes improving equipment needed in the new technologies and ICT.

I took this opportunity to give the long answer. The short answer is specific to the issue of Lanesboro Community College. I can inform the Senator — and I would have thought he was aware of the announcement two weeks ago — that this school is among 19 post-primary school projects for which the Minister for Education and Science gave approval to proceed under the most recent capital programme roll-out announcement last week. I appreciate the Senator is looking after his own area but funding has been approved.

The additional funding, totalling €13.6 million, secured for the school building and modernisation programme in the Revised Estimates will allow schools, including Lanesboro, to press ahead with their refurbishment and modernisation projects immediately. In each of the schools concerned the CEO, including the CEO of Longford VEC, will be contacted directly by the building section of the Department of Education and Science shortly with details of how to proceed with their projects.

I thank the Senator again for giving me the opportunity to outline the major capital programme that is in place and the unprecedented levels of investment in recent years. I hope that Lanesboro Community College can move forward at the earliest opportunity.