Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 268: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when €30,000 for unavoidable extra cost in the delivery of a six classroom extension to a school (details supplied) in County Limerick will be granted to the board of management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45782/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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In 2007 the school in question received approval to build 5 additional classrooms and 2 resource rooms under the devolved Permanent Accommodation Scheme (PAS) and was allocated €720,000 for the project.

The purpose of the PAS is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake building works which will address the school's long term accommodation needs. Under the terms of the Scheme, school authorities are empowered to manage these works with guidance from and minimal interaction with the Department. Devolving funding to school management authorities allows them to have control of their projects, assists in moving projects more quickly to tender and construction and can also deliver better value for money.

The scheme is not intended to leave schools with significant fundraising needs; rather the terms of the Scheme require the schools to tailor the scope of capital works commissioned to the available funding. 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 Board of Management submitted an appeal for additional funding which was rejected. Following a re-assessment of the appeal it was decided to approve additional funding for the project. Arrangements have been made to have the additional funding transferred to the schools bank account.