Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 315: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a decision on recent computer commitments will affect a school (details supplied); if he will give a guarantee that a project will remain on track; the position regarding this school. [43473/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The new post primary school project for Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, is one of the eight schools which I approved for inclusion in the 3rd Bundle of schools to be procured via Public Private Partnership.

This bundle is in the pre procurement stage. Detailed output specifications and Public Sector Benchmark (PSB) are being prepared and outline planning applications have been submitted to the relevant local authority for all eight schools. On successful completion of this process, it is my intention that the Bundle will be handed over to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for procurement.

I recently announced a commitment to making funding available for ICT in schools over the next three years. As a first step, €22 million in grants will issue to primary schools before the end of this year. Funding for post-primary schools will be made available early in the New Year. The €22m is composed of €9 million in the capital allocation for ICT with an added €13 million from the building programme allocation this year. This €13 million represents about 2% of the overall allocation for school buildings this year.

The allocation of this grant will have no impact on the progression of the provision of a new school building for the community school in Ballinamore. The indicative timeframe for the delivery of a PPP school currently stands at approximately 4 years from the date the Bundle is announced.