Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 470: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when extra classroom accommodation at a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary will be taken in charge by her Department. [8444/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers made an application in August 2000 for two additional classrooms, a General Purpose Room and appropriate ancillary accommodation for a five-classroom school. In 2002, the school accepted an all-in grant towards the cost of two permanent classrooms in lieu of prefabricated units.

The management authority at that time decided to build a third classroom and ancillary accommodation which was funded by the Board of Management and the Parent's Association. At no time did the Department approve this accommodation.

In 2006 the school requested grant aid from the Department for the unsanctioned provision. However, this was refused as there is no provision in the capital budget for retrospective funding.

The school applied for two additional classrooms under the Permanent Accommodation Scheme for 2007. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that this application was successful as announced yesterday. All the schools approved for funding under this initiative will be contacted directly by the Building Unit of the Department with details of the grant aid being provided and instructions on how to proceed.