Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason for the failure to allocate funds to provide a sports hall for a college (details supplied) in County Mayo; when the funds will be made available; when this school can expect to commence use of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5328/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is committed to funding the provision of physical education, general purpose and outdoor play areas in schools as part of the school building and modernisation programme. This is being addressed in the context of available resources and the published criteria for prioritising school building projects.

The provision of physical education halls at post-primary level is considered an integral part of the design stage for any major refurbishment programme of existing school buildings, providing always that the site is of sufficient size, or where a new school on a greenfield site is being built. The physical education hall project at the school referred to by the Deputy has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria. The project is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2006-10.