Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the consideration given to the condition of a school (details supplied) in County Galway; his plans for a new building for this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7842/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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An application for capital funding towards the provision of a new school building was received in April of last year from the school referred to by the Deputy. This was the first such application from the school. The school, which has a current enrolment of 49 pupils, is situated in a rural area. On foot of this application and information supplied by the school regarding its condition, officials from the Planning and Building Unit of my Department visited the school in June of last year. As a result of the visit, an amount of €26,862 was sanctioned to carry out remedial works to the school.

A member of the Inspectorate and officials from my Department's Building Unit visited the school on 11 December last. Since then my Department has been in ongoing contact with the school regarding its needs with a view to carrying out some urgently required works as soon as possible. In light of the many competing demands on the capital budget of my Department, it is not possible to give any commitment relating to the provision of a new building for this school at this time.