Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to provide a permanent site for a school (details supplied) in County Mayo; the progress that has been made on this matter; the sites that have been looked at; if a health and safety report has been complied on the school's current accommodation; and if so, the report's recommendations; when a site will be obtained for the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28473/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The property management section of the Office of Public Works, OPW, which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to site acquisitions generally, has identified a suitable site for the school referred to by the Deputy. The OPW has been in contact with the vendor regarding the acquisition of the site and is now awaiting a response.

While my Department has received a copy of the health and safety report on the current school accommodation commissioned by the parent's committee, it is the responsibility of the school management authorities to have a safety statement in place in their schools, to identify possible hazards, assess the risks to health and safety and put appropriate safeguards in place.

Provision is built into the school building programme to enable schools address urgent health and safety problems. Primary schools are given an annual allocation, currently amounting to €3,809 plus €12.70 per pupil, under the grant scheme for minor works which can be used entirely at the discretion of school management to address basic health and safety issues relating to school infrastructure.