Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 182: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will clarify the position in relation to a school (details supplied) in Dublin 5; the position in relation to the provision of a sports hall; the length of time the request is with his Department; the general policy with regard to the provision of same; if grants are provided to rent sports facilities off site and so on; if a request has been made for ceiling repairs; if same will be funded under the summer works programme; if the school will be inspected from a health and safety aspect to ascertain the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19551/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The school to which the Deputy refers applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for the provision of a PE Hall in 1998. All applications for large scale capital funding are assessed against published prioritisation criteria which were formulated following consultation with the Education Partners. Under the criteria, each project is assigned a Band Rating which reflects the type of works required and the urgency attaching to them. There are four Band Ratings in all, with Band 1 being the highest and Band 4 the lowest. A Band 4 rating has been assigned to the project in question in line with the criteria. Projects are progressed in accordance with the Band rating assigned to them and as they are ready to proceed. In light of current competing demands on the Department's capital budget, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.

With regard to my Department's policy on the provision of sports facilities generally, my Department is committed to funding the provision of PE, general purpose and outdoor play areas in schools as part of the school building and modernisation programme. This is being addressed in the context of available resources and the published criteria for prioritising school building projects, which I have referred to above. The provision of PE Halls at post-primary level is considered an integral part of the design stage for any major refurbishment programme of existing school buildings, providing that the site is of sufficient size, or where a new school on a greenfield site is being built. My Department does not have a budget stream for the rental of sports facilities as many schools, particularly those in large urban areas, can have the use of adjacent local facilities, including public parks, playing fields and swimming pools.

With regard to the Summer Works Scheme, the Deputy will be aware that, under the terms and conditions of this Scheme, schools are required to identify their highest priority projects. Under the current Scheme, the school in question applied for funding for an upgrade to its external environment. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding for this has been approved. My Department has no record of an application for funding for ceiling repairs under this Scheme. Apart from the Summer Works Scheme funding recently granted, the school received funding in excess of €32,000 last November for gas installation works.