Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 505: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the very dangerous situation involving several near accidents at the entrance to a school (details supplied) in County Cork; her views on whether there is an urgent priority need to create a safe entrance and exit for the pupils and staff at the school; if, approval will be given to the application from the school to enable the necessary work to get under way to remedy the situation. [2761/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care.

Provision is built into the annual school building programme to enable schools to address urgent health and safety issues as identified by the school authority by way of an annual allocation, currently amounting to €3,809 plus €12.70 per pupil, under the devolved grants scheme for minor works. This allocation can be used entirely at the discretion of the school authority to address issues such as the creation of a safe entrance and exit as required at the school referred to by the Deputy.

Where schools are unable to address all issues arising on an incremental basis, it is open to the school authority to apply for funding from my Department under the appropriate scheme — in this instance, the summer works scheme. This school's application under the summer works scheme for 2006 was unsuccessful, as the application was received well after the designated closing date of 14 October 2005.