David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 32: To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 97 of 9 April 2008, if his Department will accept the offer of a site for a new premises for a school (details supplied) in County Cork; if so, when he expects building works on the new school to begin; if not, his plans to rectify the current accommodation problems suffered by the school and its students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26309/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the Programme for Government, a Developing Areas Unit was set up recently in my Department to focus on the school accommodation needs of rapidly developing areas, including the area to which the Deputy refers. The main emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in these developing areas, as well as delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation throughout the country.

In this context, the status of all schools in the area referred to by the Deputy are being assessed. The school referred to by the Deputy is being included in this assessment.

On the matter of the offer of the new site, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that following a technical examination of the two acre site in question, my officials wrote to the local developer requesting contract documents. A reply is awaited.

As an interim measure while the school are awaiting their permanent building, my Department has sanctioned the rental of temporary premises and accommodation in order for the school to operate.

As is the case with all large capital projects currently on hand within the Unit, their progression will be considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.