Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

Cregmore national school has a current staffing level of a principal and eight mainstream teachers. The school also has the services of two learning support-resource teachers. For the 2009-10 school year, the school has an enrolment of 220 pupils.

In 1999 Cregmore national school applied to the Department for extension and refurbishment works at the school. In 2004, the school management authorities were offered a grant of €200,000 to provide two additional classrooms, which they accepted. In 2005, owing to increasing enrolments, it was deemed necessary to provide four new classrooms and the grant aid previously approved was increased to €400,000. A new pick-up and drop-off area and car parking were also provided at the time. In January 2009, the school was sanctioned an all-in grant of €100,000 to provide an additional mainstream classroom and, in March of this year, the school received a further sanction of €30,000 to provide a new resource room at the school. The school has also been allocated €12,287 under the 2010 summer works scheme for a window upgrade.

The Minister, as Senator Healy Eames confirmed, spoke to the school principal shortly after the crash and is thankful that no one was killed or seriously injured. Following the Minister's telephone call to the school, officials have been in contact with the school principal and have discussed the option open to the school management authorities to repair damage done as a result of this accident.

An application was received for works to the school yesterday, Tuesday - it took a day to arrive in the post - and this is being assessed. The Department has also advised the principal that the school may apply under the Department's emergency works scheme to have improvement works carried out within the confines of the school site to make it a safer environment for pupils and teachers.

I thank the Senator again for giving me the opportunity of outlining to the House the assistance available to Cregmore national school, County Galway, following the recent road traffic accident at the school. We will certainly continue to assist the school in its endeavours.