Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 375: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she expects to have the quality and extent of school buildings up to the required standard in terms of extra space and facilities at both primary and second level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40055/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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This Government has invested in the largest school building programme in the history of the State. Between 1998 and the end of 2004, almost €2 billion was invested in school buildings and in the region of 7,500 large and small projects were completed in schools, including 130 brand new schools and 510 large scale refurbishments-extensions. Indeed, funding for school building and renovation projects has increased five-fold since 1997. In 2005, €493 million will be spent on school building projects, compared to just €92 million in 1997.

Well in excess of 1,300 schools will benefit from the announcements that I have made so far this year with regard to the school buildings and modernisation programme.

The list of projects approved to date includes: large-scale projects to tender and construction over next 12 to 15 months, 122 — 89 primary and 33 post-primary; small schools initiative, 97 — all primary; permanent accommodation initiative, 75 — 70 primary, five post-primary; prefabs, 140 — 137 primary, three post-primary; authorised to enter design phase: 43 — 32 primary, 11 post-primary; summer works, 741 — 452 primary, 289 post-primary; progress through architectural planning, 124 — 73 primary and 51 post-primary; and PPPs, 27 — 23 post-primary and four primary in 22 locations. Total number of schools benefiting from this year's announcements: 1369.

The total allocation for my primary and post-primary capital budget this year is an unprecedented €493 million — €270 million for primary and €223 million for post-primary.

This level of investment will need to be maintained if the goal of eliminating sub-standard accommodation is to be achieved. The Government remains committed to continuing the work that it has started and to consolidating the substantial progress that has already been made to ensure that the needs of schools throughout the country are met over time.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 380: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the extension, ancillary accommodation and autistic unit are on target for completion at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40061/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that construction is well under way on the extension at the school in question. The project is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2006.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 383: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when the classroom extension at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare will be complete; if same is on time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40064/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that construction of the extension at the school in question has been completed.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 384: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position with regard to the completion of an extension to a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40065/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 387: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the extra facilities required at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40068/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 384 and 387 together.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the extension at the school in question has been recently completed.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 385: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a classroom extension at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare is on target; when same will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40066/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the extension to the school in question was completed in May 2005.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 386: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position in regard to the provision of extra facilities required at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40067/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to advise the Deputy that on 6 May 2005 my Department gave devolved authority for the project in question to proceed to tender and construction. Tenders for this project were returned at the end of October. The project's design team is currently examining the tenders.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 393: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position with regard to the relocation of a school (details supplied) in County Kildare to expand its capacity to 1,000 pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40074/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The management authority of the school in question, County Kildare Vocational Education Committee, is currently progressing plans to relocate the school and expand its capacity to 1,000 pupils. A formal planning application has been lodged with the local authority. The authority has asked for further information, which the committee's consultants are now in the process of providing.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 394: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the completion of an extension at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40075/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The extension at the school to which the Deputy refers was completed in May 2005.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 395: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position with regard to the provision of extra facilities at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24; when the tender process will be completed; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40076/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The refurbishment and extension project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently on site. Work commenced in October 2005 and is due to be completed in October 2006.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 396: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding extra facilities required at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40077/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The school planning section of my Department has received an application for major capital funding from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects. Progress on the proposed works is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme from 2006 onwards.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 397: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position with regard to the provision of extra facilities required at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; when the project will advance to construction stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40078/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is currently awaiting receipt of the tender report from County Kildare VEC for the proposed extension project at the school in question.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 401: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she has satisfied herself regarding the adequacy of the accommodation at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare having particular regard to demographic trends and the need for adequate forward planning to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to eliminate the use of temporary accommodation in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40082/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that construction work is well under way on an extension to the school in question. The extension is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2006.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 402: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to an extension project at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40083/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to advise the Deputy that on 16 March 2005 the school in question was given devolved authority to progress this project to tender and construction. Tenders for the project were returned in mid-October and the tender report which was received in early December is currently being examined by my Department's technical staff.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 403: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to an extension project at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40084/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. Officials from my Department visited the school in question in June of this year to carry out a technical inspection of the existing accommodation and to assess the needs of the pupils attending the school. The school authorities have embarked on a major redevelopment programme which is currently at a very early design stage. They are assessing the needs into the future of the residents with special needs on the campus and outreach facilities and the many support services and industries around them.

The school's design team is currently preparing a development control plan for the site, of which this school forms part and my Department is awaiting their response before the project can proceed further. In the meantime a member of my Department's inspectorate has drafted a schedule of overall accommodation to reflect the current educational needs of the pupils attending the school.