David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 255: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she has received an application from a school (details supplied) in Cork, to build a new sports hall or gym; her views on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28535/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers made application to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension and a PE hall. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band 2.1.

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, is 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.