Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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I wish to raise the matter of the amalgamation of two schools in Tramore, County Waterford. The amalgamation of Stella Maris, which was run by the Sisters of Charity, and the Christian Brothers school for boys happened in 2000. I compliment both boards of management on agreeing to amalgamate. Amalgamation of schools is to be encouraged and the Department of Education and Science has done so.

The schools were assured that a new building would be in place within two years of amalgamation. Four years have elapsed and there is still no sign of the building. Much correspondence and negotiations have been entered into while a feasibility study has been conducted and the results are positive and complete. The board of management is still unaware of a commencement date for the building of the new school.

Tramore is one of the fastest growing towns in the country and there is a pressing need for the school. Numbers in both schools have increased significantly over the years because of the growth in population. I ask the Minister to give a clear indication of when the building of the school will commence as there is a pressing need. All the necessary criteria have been satisfied. A free site is available from the community for the Department and that is not something that happens very often. I ask the Minister to use her good offices to ensure work commences early in the new year.

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science who apologises for her inability to attend personally. I thank the Senator for affording me the opportunity of addressing the House regarding the accommodation needs of Glór na Mara national school in Tramore, County Waterford, on behalf of the Department of Education and Science.

Glór na Mara national school emerged from the amalgamation of the Star of the Sea and Edmund Rice national schools which occurred in 2000. The new school is a co-educational school catering for all class ranges. Last year, the school had an enrolment of 433 pupils. It is anticipated that the school will continue to grow and will ultimately develop into a 16-classroom mainstream school.

Pending the implementation of an agreed infrastructural strategy for the new school, it is operating from the premises of the two former schools. The school planning section of the Department of Education and Science has agreed with the management authority of the school that the optimum plan to address its accommodation needs is to extend facilities at the Star of the Sea national school. In addition, extensive refurbishment of existing facilities will be undertaken. The objective is to ensure that facilities at the new school will serve the needs of the school community well into the future.

The Department appreciates that the key concern of the school community is to know when this plan will be implemented. While the Department cannot be specific in this matter today, I assure the House that it intends to publish details of a multi-annual building programme before the end of the year. The multi-annual programme will provide clarity concerning all projects awaiting delivery, including the planned project at Glór na Mara national school.

I assure this House that the project carries a high priority rating in line with agreed criteria for prioritising large-scale projects. The assigned priority rating is band 1.4 which is a very high ranking. This will heavily and positively influence the timescale for delivery of the project.

In the interim, I point out to the Senator that works of an urgent nature required to be undertaken at the school may be addressed through the summer works scheme. Details of the 2005 scheme were recently published. The closing date for receipt of completed applications for works required to be undertaken in 2005 is 5 November 2004. The Department of Education and Science will publish the list of successful applicants by 31 January 2005.

I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to outline the current position in this case to the House and I will personally relay his concerns to the Minister.