Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 451: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress report on the building of all purpose room or hall in phase two of the development by a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40094/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department provided an 8 classroom school building with ancillary accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy as Phase I of the delivery of the school's permanent accommodation in order to meet the need for additional school places in the area.

This school building was delivered as part of my Department's fast-track programme of construction and culminated in the opening of the new school in September 2008. The school is developing incrementally and it is proposed to provide further classrooms, together with appropriate ancillary accommodation, commensurate with need.

This provision will be considered in the context of the Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme taking cognisance of the available capital funding and the competing demands on those resources.

Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 452: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if funding will be provided for a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40167/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has made an application to my Department for large scale capital funding. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 2 rating.

Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including the project referred to by the Deputy, are now available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.

The priority attaching to individual projects is determined by published prioritisation criteria, which were formulated following consultation with the Education Partners. There are four band ratings under these criteria, each of which describes the extent of accommodation required and the urgency attaching to it. Band 1 is the highest priority rating and Band 4 is the lowest. Documents explaining the band rating system are also available on my Department's website.

The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of the Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.