Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Seanadóirí as an cheist seo a ardú mar go dtugann sé deis dom a léiriú don tSeanad straitéis an Rialtais i gcomhair infheistiú chaipitil i dtionscadail oideachais thar na cúig bliana amach romhainn agus an scéal mar atá faoi láthair a shoiléiriú maidir leis an iarratas ar maoiniú mór chaipitil a fuarthas ó Ghaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh i gCnoc na Cathrach i nGaillimh.

It may be helpful if I set out the context within which the decisions relating to meeting the accommodation needs of schools must be considered over the coming years. Total enrolment is expected to grow by around 70,000 students between now and 2018, by more than 45,000 at primary level and 25,000 at post-primary. Second level enrolment is expected to continue to rise until at least 2024. In the first quarter of last year we had the highest number of births in this country since records began. To meet the needs of our growing population of school-going children, the Department will need to establish new schools as well as extending or replacing a number of existing schools in areas where significant demographic growth has been identified. The delivery of these new schools, together with extension projects to meet future demand, will be the main focus of the Department's budget for the coming years.

The five-year programme which the Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, announced recently will provide more than 100,000 permanent school places, of which in excess of 80,000 will be new school places. The remainder will include the replacement of temporary or unsatisfactory accommodation. The design of the proposed new school building for Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh has been developed based on a brief to construct an eight-classroom, two-storey extension along with a single storey general purpose hall and a naíonra. The extension is mainly intended to replace existing temporary accommodation.

The stage 2B submission - detailed design and tender documents - was recently approved by my Department. However, in light of current competing demands on the Department's capital budget, it is not possible, at this time, to give an indication of the timeframe for the progression to tender and construction of the project for Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh. Earlier today, officials from my Department met a delegation of principals from Galway city, including Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh, and explained the underlying rationale for the decisions made in respect of the provision of additional primary school accommodation on the western side of Galway city.

To ensure every child growing up in Ireland has access to a physical school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet the demographic demands nationally, as well as the demands in Galway city, will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The five-year programme is primarily focused on meeting those increasing demographic needs. In that context, it has not been possible to advance all school building projects concurrently. School building projects, including the project for Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh, will, where possible, continue to be advanced incrementally over time within the context of the funding available. I again thank both Senators for giving me the opportunity to outline the position.