Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 426: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason her Department have refused to give technical or financial assistance to a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24 in view of the fact that a suspected gas leak occurred in close proximity to this school; if she will intervene directly with this school in order that these matters will be resolved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29488/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In recent years much greater authority has been devolved to local school management boards to manage and deliver smaller building projects, minor works etc., thereby freeing my Departments technical and professional staff to concentrate on the larger scale projects. This had become necessary due to the huge increase in larger scale projects being progressed through my Department. For instance this year alone over €540 million will be spent on school building infrastructure with over 1,500 projects on my Department's school building programme. The school in question does not have a gas supply on site, however, periodically; there is a smell of gas in the school premises. Following advice from my Department, the school had their sewers etc. checked by a specialist firm but these were given the all clear. My Department undertook to fund the cost under the devolved emergency works scheme. My Department will also fund the cost of employing an engineer to resolve the problem.