Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 814: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 267 of 16 February 2006, the appeal was successful. [11060/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The school to which the Deputy refers applied for an external environment project under the summer works scheme 2006, SWS. As the Deputy was previously informed, the school planning section of my Department also had on hand at that time an application for additional accommodation from the management authority of the school. This proposed building project was being considered under another scheme. In light of this, the school's summer works scheme application was deemed unsuccessful as it was considered poor value for money to undertake external environment works prior to a proposed building project. The management authority of the school appealed this decision.

In the meantime, the school was included on a list which I published recently of 135 primary schools which are being invited to participate in the small schools scheme, SSS, this year. Funding of over €54 million is allocated to this scheme which is aimed at primary schools of up to four teachers and where enrolment numbers are stable to address their accommodation requirements over the next decade. Grants under the scheme range from €275,000 to €820,000 depending on school size and the type of works involved.

My Department will await the outcome of its invitation to the school to participate in the SSS before processing the SWS appeal which will become redundant in the event of the former funding being accepted.