Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Dublin, her attention has been drawn to the fact that the school is operating from 17 classrooms in either deteriorating temporary accommodation or a totally unsuitable 1903 building; and if, in view of the need for a new school, she will expedite the approval of same. [3223/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the circumstances in the school referred to by the Deputy and I am pleased to inform him that my Department is currently implementing the first phase of a two phase strategy to address the school's requirements. In this regard, a €1 million extension is currently being provided to cater for its immediate needs. In addition, schedules of accommodation have been agreed for the second phase extension. Progress on the second phase is being considered in the context of the school building programme.

In this regard, I recently announced the first phase of the 2005 school building programme which provided details of 122 major school building projects countrywide which will prepare tenders and move to construction during 2005. This announcement is the first in a series of announcements I plan to make in the coming period about the schools building and modernisation programme that will include details of schools identified as suitable for construction under public private partnerships; an expansion of the number of schools that will be invited to deliver their building projects on the basis of devolved funding; details of schools with projects approved under the 2005 summer works scheme; schools whose projects will further progress through the design process; and schools that will be authorised to commence architectural planning.