Niall Collins (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 131: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding a project (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25146/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The school in Co. Meath referred to by the Deputy opened in temporary accommodation on the grounds of a GAA club in September 2007. The funding given by the Department to the school authorities for the rental of this temporary accommodation was per normal Department conditions and the Department was not aware of any need for the school authorities to enter into a loan arrangement to allow the school fund this temporary accommodation project. The Department funded the school authorities for this temporary accommodation upon submission of invoices by the school authorities.

This school in question will subsequently be relocating to new temporary accommodation on a new site from September 2008. The funding for this project has been agreed with the school authorities and the owner of the site. The site works cost incurred are being funded by the Department in 2009 with the rental costs for the temporary accommodation being funded as per normal conditions. In relation to the school in Co. Limerick also referred to by the Deputy, I can confirm that the school recently submitted a proposal to my Department in relation to how its project might proceed this year without incurring Departmental expenditure. This proposal will by examined by the School Planning and Building Unit in my Department and a response will issue directly to the school authority. The examination will be strictly governed by the capital allocation available in 2009 and the priority attaching to the project in this regard. Any other approach would be unfair to schools in a similar situation which cannot provide start up funding for their projects.