James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 165: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to additional funding for the extension and renovation project for a national school (details supplied) in County Longford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9858/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the expansion of the Small Schools Scheme, a grant of €484,000 was sanctioned to enable the management authority of the school in question to extend and modernise their school.

The Scheme allows Boards of Management to address their accommodation and building priorities with a guaranteed amount of funding and gives Boards of Management control of the building project.

The intention of the scheme is to provide funding to schools to enable them to undertake wanted building projects. The scheme is not intended to leave schools with significant fundraising needs but for the school to tailor the scope of capital works commissioned to the available funding. A central tenet of the scheme is that the schools, granted discretion and funding, must equally accept responsibility for prioritisation, adherence to statutory regulations, control of costs and ensuring value for money. The decision on whether to continue participating in the scheme or to drop out, if the scope of build is more than the funding envelope permits, is a matter for each school authority.

The current position is that the school management have applied for planning permission and are awaiting a decision. They have submitted an application for additional funding which is being considered by the Department's Review Group. The school will be informed of the decision in due course.