Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 231: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if funding will be made available for an extension to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8683/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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An application for a PE hall at the school referred to by the Deputy has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large-scale building projects. This project has been assigned a band 4 rating and its progress will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme from 2006 onwards.

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason for the delay in approving funding for a post-primary school building project (details supplied); the status of the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8684/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The proposed refurbishment and extension project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. Following increased enrolments in the school, a revised schedule of overall accommodation issued to the school in late 2005. A planning and briefing meeting was held in October 2005 and the school's mechanical and electrical engineer was requested to forward a detailed condition report on current installations in the school. This project cannot be progressed until the documentation requested has been received and examined by officials in my Department.

A decision on which school building projects will advance to tender and construction will be considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme 2006-2009.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will sanction the selection of the preferred tender for a new school (details supplied) in County Kildare. [8698/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The tender report in respect of the new school in question was received by my Department in early December 2005 and has since been assessed. When the legalities associated with the site transfer are concluded, I expect that my Department will be in a position to approve the appointment of the successful contractor and for the construction phase to commence.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason for the delay in approving the stage three submission relating to the required extension to a school (details supplied) in County Kildare. [8700/06]

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. The school in question was listed in my announcement of April 2005 as a project to progress through architectural planning up to pre-tender stage, that is, up to and including advanced architectural planning.

In order to bring this project to the required stage, my Department's officials have requested and received various amendments to the stage three submission, including detailed plans and costs during 2005. My Department's officials wrote to the school authorities on 21 September 2005 with some further queries and a response has been received. This will be examined as soon as possible and my officials will then be in further contact with the school authorities with regard to the next steps involved in progressing this project.

Progression of projects to construction will be considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme 2006-2009.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 235: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the Chief State Solicitor's office has cleared the contract documents relating to the purchase of a site for a new national school in Ardclough, County Kildare. [8704/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The contract documents for the purchase of the site for a new national school in Ardclough, County Kildare, were received by the Chief State Solicitor's office on 24 January 2006. The conditions under which the property is being offered are currently being examined.