Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister to the House and assure him that I have far more modest needs than my colleagues before me. All I seek is a new science laboratory for St. Macdara's College in Templeogue in my constituency. I am sure his counterpart in the Department of Education and Science has informed the Minister that an application for an additional science laboratory has been submitted by the school in question and County Dublin VEC in 2002, 2003 and 2004. This school caters for almost 800 pupils and serves the Tallaght and Templeogue areas.

The accommodation currently includes three science laboratories and the inspector for science subjects wrote to the principal recently outlining his full support for the school's request for an additional laboratory. In a letter to the Department of Education of Science, the inspector stated in regard to his report on the school's facilities: "I would be grateful if you would bring the contents of the report to the attention of the relevant staff, including any recommendations requiring development, in the context of school development planning".

The Minister is aware that the Department of Education and Science takes a decision each summer in connection with the summer works scheme. The decision in respect of 2005 will be made soon and I make my pitch for the school in that context. One of the arguments the school management makes is that all first year students study science and there are severe space limitations in this regard. All the school management proposes is that an existing classroom should simply be transformed into a science laboratory.

The school authorities have asked me to point out that the task force on physical sciences, which issued a report some years ago, made clear recommendations in regard to science in terms of increasing the financial envelope for science subjects. The money is clearly needed now rather than tomorrow. Clear recommendations were also made in regard to improving the standing of physics within the school system. I have been asked to put on the record of the House that the additional laboratory which is sought would go some way towards meeting all the school's needs in terms of science facilities. The inspector is on record in correspondence as seeking this requirement.

I ask the Government and the Minister for Education and Science in particular to comply with this basic and straightforward request. The school has sought this facility for the last three years and it is long overdue. I expect the Minister will tell me it is in the programme for this year.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I wish I could do so. Perhaps I might have been able to oblige if the school in question had applied for consideration under this year's programme. Unfortunately, it apparently neglected to do so. However, I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline details of the funding allocated to St. Macdara's College to improve its accommodation, and to outline the process under which the school can obtain further funding.

Modernising facilities in our 3,200 primary and 750 post-primary schools is not an easy task given the legacy of under-investment in this area as well as the need to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth. Nevertheless, since taking office, the Government has shown a sincere determination to improve the condition of our school buildings and to ensure the appropriate facilities are in place to enable the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum.

We have progressively increased funding for the school modernisation programme in recent years to achieve our goal. An aggregate total of almost €2 billion has been allocated for this purpose since 1998, the largest investment programme in the history of the State. Since the beginning of the year the Department of Education and Science has made a number of announcements relating to the schools building and modernisation programme. This year alone, €270 million will be allocated to primary schools and a further €223 million to post-primary schools for building works. This represents an increase of 14% on the 2004 allocation.

The programmes supported will include the following: 141 major building projects already on site and a further 28 due to commence in the coming weeks; 122 major school building projects countrywide which will prepare tenders and move to construction during 2005; 192 primary schools which have been invited to take part in the small and rural schools initiative; up to 120 schools which have been given approval to rent temporary premises pending delivery of a permanent solution to their long-term accommodation needs; 43 schools which have been authorised to commence architectural planning of their major projects and 124 which have been approved to progress through the architectural planning process; and 590 schools which were given approval to complete essential small-scale projects, such as that to which the Senator refers, under the summer works scheme.

I am pleased to inform the Senator that St. Macdara's College is included in the latter category in respect of the funding it has secured to upgrade its gas system at an estimated cost of €66,000. It was not possible, however, to provide funding for a science room in St. Macdara's College in 2004 when the school applied for it under the summer works programme because of the need to progress other higher priority projects first. As I have just outlined, with the extra funding provided for the summer works scheme in 2005, the school's application for upgrading of its gas systems was successful. Regrettably, however, the school did not apply for a science room under the 2005 summer works scheme.

Should the school apply for a science room under the 2006 summer works scheme, details of which will be announced later this year, the Minister for Education and Science assures me that every consideration will be given to its application. I thank the Senator for raising this matter and I will bring his concerns to the attention of the Minister.

Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)
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The school authorities have expressed some concern as to the role of County Dublin VEC in respect of the application. They were of the view that the application was supported by the VEC. I will relay this matter urgently to the school authorities.