Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 538: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the status of new permanent accommodation for a school (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason there is such a delay in progressing this application; if this application can be advanced further; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33871/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The school referred to by the Deputy has made an application for capital funding towards the provision of additional classroom and ancillary accommodation.

An upward trend in enrolment in recent years necessitated a review of enrolment and demographic trends to ensure that any capital funding being provided is appropriate to meet the school's long-term accommodation needs. That review is almost complete, and once agreement has been reached with the school authority on the matter a decision will be made on how best to meet the school's long-term accommodation needs. The project is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2005-09.

The position regarding the construction of a carpark is that the project was progressed by the school without the prior agreement of my Department, and retrospective funding was sought by way of an application under the 2004 summer works scheme. The application was rejected on the basis that it is not my Department's policy to sanction retrospective funding for any project progressed by a school authority without my Department's prior approval.