Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1162: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to promote and support the use of school facilities by community groups and other appropriate services and design new schools in order to facilitate multi use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29420/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The primary responsibility of my Department in this area is the provision of school facilities for the effective delivery of the primary and post-primary curricula. In addition, school authorities have a considerable degree of autonomy in relation to how their premises are managed and utilised at local level.

However, the Government recognises that there is a lack of recreational facilities for community use in certain areas which could be met if school premises were made available to the wider community. To encourage schools in this respect, my Department issued a circular to all school authorities in late 2005 urging trustees and Boards of Management to make their facilities available, where possible, for community education and recreation purposes.

Decisions in relation to the use of school facilities remain entirely at the discretion of the school authorities, subject to the condition that the needs of the students attending the school are prioritised in the first instance. It is also important that schools should ensure that insurance and security are covered as it is unlikely that the school's insurance policy would cover non-school activities or that a caretaker would be routinely available to open/lock up premises.

My Department has also progressed a number of school building projects within the Fingal and Adamstown areas of Dublin with local authorities/developers to produce an integrated solution to education and community facilities that matches the delivery of new housing.

In respect of PPP schools, the contract arrangements provide for school facilities to be available for community use when not required by the school.

My Department's position generally is that the availability of such facilities should be self-funding i.e. adequate to cover the heat/light/caretaking arrangements as well as making some contribution to the repair of wear and tear on premises caused by increased use.