John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 253: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her Department has examined the plans for a school extension submitted by this Deputy on behalf of a school (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; the way in which the school should proceed to progress its interest in the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4115/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The project at the school to which the Deputy refers has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria, which were revised following consultation with the education partners. All available information was taken into consideration in the context of this assessment.

Progress on the project is being considered in the context of the school building programme. In this regard, the Deputy will be aware that I recently announced the first phase of the 2005 schools 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 on 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.