Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 474: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the cost to the Exchequer or her Department in regard to the establishment of all primary gaelscoileanna in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12873/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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There are six primary gaelscoileanna in County Kildare. In the 2004-05 school year, the last year for which details are available, these schools were paid a total of €432,612.54 towards their day-to-day running costs. A total of 57 full-time primary teachers were employed in the six schools in question in the 2004-05 school year.

The average cost of employing a teacher in a primary school in the 2004-05 school year was €55,000, inclusive of employers PRSI. The information in regard to the provision of accommodation is not readily available in the format requested. However, the following is the position with regard to accommodation for all newly established school regardless of ethos. All new schools commence operation with provisional recognition from my Department. During this period of provisional recognition, it is the responsibility of the school patron to provide interim accommodation. This accommodation must be capable of fully meeting the needs of the developing school until permanent recognition has been secured and my Department is in a position to provide a permanent school building.

My Department grant-aids the provision of temporary accommodation at a rate of 75% for schools with provisional recognition and 95% for schools with permanent recognition. However, notwithstanding these rates, a school's contribution is capped at €3,175 per calendar year.

The overall accommodation cost is individual to each school and depends on the type and extent of accommodation required and whether or not site works are required etc.