Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 447: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she has received an application to approve the establishment of a multi-denominational primary school from a group of parents in Carlow who wish to be recognised as the patron body for the school; the consideration she has given to the application; when she will make a decision on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40334/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The New School Advisory Committee is in receipt of a notification of an intention to apply for a Multi-Denominational English medium primary school in Carlow town. The closing date for applications is 31 January 2007. All applications received will be referred to the New School Advisory Committee for their consideration.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 448: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the crisis faced by groups of parents who had hoped to be able to establish a multi-denominational school under the patronage of Educate Together and who cannot apply for recognition under their patronage due to the lack of resources available to Educate Together and the large numbers of schools under their patronage that are still in temporary accommodation; the action she will take to address this crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40335/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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School building projects are selected for inclusion in the School Building and Modernisation Programme on the basis of priority of need using published criteria.

A significant number of new multi-denominational schools are established in rapidly developing areas. All infrastructural projects in these areas, regardless of ethos, are assigned a band 1 priority status under the criteria. Innovations in the delivery of school buildings such as Generic Repeat Designs and the use of the Design and Build model ensure that new school buildings are being delivered in these areas in the fastest time-frame possible.

This Government is delivering on its commitment to provide modern facilities in schools and has progressively increased funding in recent years with an aggregate total of over €2 billion alone between 2000 and 2005 and a commitment to invest a further €3b up to 2010. This is the largest investment programme in the history of the State.

The Department has never underestimated the scale of the task and the level of capital funding and other resources required to both rectify decades of under investment in school infrastructure and to meet newly emerging needs in the face of a huge expansion in our population base and the rapid expansion in teacher numbers. It has no desire to see any school in less than adequate accommodation and it will continue to tackle this issue in a structured and targeted fashion.