Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 17: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills when permission will be given to a school (details supplied) in County Monaghan to allow them to go ahead with restructuring and extension for the sake of health and safety; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23646/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The school referred to by the Deputy has a building project at an advanced stage of architectural planning to extend and refurbish the existing school. The project has a priority band rating of 2.1.

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 for 2011 and subsequent years. 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.

In the meantime, however, it is open to the school authority to apply to the Planning and Building Unit of my Department for emergency works funding for capital works of an urgent nature. Grants from this fund are available for very urgent works, primarily of a major health and safety nature, to schools that require them.