Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Ulick Burke for raising this matter on the Adjournment, and also thank Senator Kitt for his contribution. This matter gives me an opportunity to outline to the House the position of the Department of Education and Science regarding Holy Rosary College, Mountbellew, County Galway. The building project for Holy Rosary College was one of a number announced for schools by the Department in 2005 to progress to architectural planning. This project has recently been approved to progress to stage 3, which is the developed sketch scheme of architectural planning. The brief for the project is to provide adequate accommodation for a long-term projected enrolment of 550 pupils. A stand-alone PE hall is also included in the brief for this project.

A meeting was convened on 8 February 2007 with officials from the Department, the board of management and the design team in order to evaluate the stage 2 submission. At the meeting the project was approved to progress to stage three of architectural planning. When the stage 3 submission is received in the Department, a meeting will be convened which will involve board of management representatives and the design team presenting the submission outlining key aspects of same. Any issues or commentary by the Department will be addressed at the meeting. The minutes of the meeting will be issued to the school afterwards as a formal record of the meeting. It is envisaged that unless there are very exceptional circumstances involved, the meeting will be sufficient to authorise the project to progress to the next stage of architectural planning subject, if necessary, to formal receipt of confirmation by the school from the design team that the issues raised by the Department have been addressed.

In the case of all large capital projects currently on hand within the school buildings section, progression of the project to tender and construction will be considered in the context of the multi-annual school building and modernisation programme. I assure Senators that the Department of Education and Science is committed to providing suitable, high-quality accommodation for Holy Rosary College at the earliest possible date. I thank Senator Ulick Burke and Senator Kitt for raising this matter in the House.