Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Wilson for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House my Department's position regarding the provision of improved facilities for Laragh national school, Stradone, County Cavan.

As the Senator will be aware, almost €600 million in public funding is being provided for school buildings this year, enabling the completion of work on 67 large-scale primary school projects, which will deliver 7,000 additional permanent school places in new schools and 2,300 additional permanent school places in existing schools, and construction work on 150 devolved projects under the permanent accommodation scheme, which will provide 8,000 additional places in existing primary schools. In the post-primary sector, construction work will be completed on 19 large-scale projects, which will provide 2,400 permanent school places in four new schools, and additional accommodation and refurbishment works in 15 schools, which will benefit more than 7,000 pupils.

This funding will also enable the purchase of sites to facilitate the smooth delivery of the school building programme, particularly in rapidly developing areas, and will facilitate the progression of new projects through architectural planning and design stages. On 1 February last, the previous Minister announced the first tranche of projects that will proceed to construction this year. Construction is also due to start in 2008 on the first bundle of public private partnership schools, while further projects will be offered to the market next year with a view to building work commencing in later years.

Laragh national school is a co-educational facility with a current enrolment of 127 pupils. The school has a current staffing of a principal, four mainstream assistants and one permanent learning support and resource teacher. The school authority submitted an application to my Department for large-scale capital funding for an extension project. The long-term staffing figure, on which accommodation needs will be based, has been determined. In this regard, it has been agreed that accommodation should be provided to cater for a long-term projected staffing of a principal, five mainstream assistants and appropriate ancillary accommodation. The proposed extension and refurbishment of Laragh national school has been assigned a band rating of 2.1.

The progression of all large-scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction is dependent on the prioritisation of competing demands on the funding available under my Department's capital budget. In the circumstances, it is not possible to provide an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project. However, I assure the Senator that the Minister is committed to providing suitable high quality accommodation for Laragh national school at the earliest possible date.