Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 261: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if correspondence (details supplied) has been brought to her attention; if she will include the school which has been waiting since 1999 to build an extension in the small schools initiative in 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5144/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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An extension project at the school to which the Deputy refers has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria, which was revised following consultation with the education partners and the project is being considered in the context of the school buildings and modernisation programme. The Deputy will be aware that 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 in regard to 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. The needs of the school referred to are being considered in this regard.