Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senator for raising the matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline the Government's strategy for capital investment in educational projects and to outline the position regarding Gaelscoil Bharra.

Modernising facilities in the 3,200 primary and 750 post-primary schools is not an easy task given the legacy of decades of under-investment in this area, as well as the need to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth. Nonetheless, since taking office, the Government has shown a focused determination to improve the condition of school buildings and to ensure that the appropriate facilities are in place to enable the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum. The reality of this commitment is that the demand for additional accommodation has increased exponentially. In 2006, more than €500 million was invested in schools infrastructure, which funded the delivery of more than 1,300 building projects. This compares with the sum of slightly more than €90 million that was provided for school buildings in 1997.

Under the national development plan, €4.5 billion is being invested to improve existing school buildings and provide extra accommodation for an expected growth of 100,000 in the schoolgoing population in the coming years. Together with the improvements in planning that have already been put in place, as well as those provided for in the new programme for Government, this will enable the Department of Education and Science to meet the future needs of developing areas. The Cathaoirleach will agree that this record level of investment is a positive testament to the high priority the Government attaches to this sector.

As for the matter raised by the Senator, Gaelscoil Bharra is a co-educational all-Irish national school. The school had a September 2006 enrolment of 218 pupils and its enrolments have been on an upward trend of 12% during the last five years. The school has a current staffing level of a principal, eight mainstream teachers and one permanent learning support teacher.

Officials in the school planning section of the Department of Education and Science are considering a number of options for the long-term solution to the school's accommodation difficulties. While one such option is the building of a permanent structure on the school's current site, a number of issues have arisen in respect of this proposal. However, it will be pursued in tandem with a number of other options being considered. The Department acknowledges the need for a solution to the school's accommodation difficulties and is committed to working to achieve a satisfactory solution as soon as possible.

I again thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to outline the position regarding this particular school project and to highlight the enormous amount of work being undertaken by the Department of Education and Science in implementing the school building and modernisation programme to ensure that facilities of the highest standard are available for the entire schoolgoing population.