Written answers

Thursday, 8 July 2010

Department of Education and Science

Schools Building Projects

10:00 pm

Photo of Tom HayesTom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 742: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills when a school building project will be approved for schools (details supplied) in South Tipperary. [31650/10]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that all the schools referred to by him have applied to my Department for capital funding.

The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase is dependent on the prioritisation of competing demands on the funding available under the Department's capital budget.

Applications are assessed using 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.

I can confirm to the Deputy that a building project at the first school to which he refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning.

The second school to which the Deputy refers has agreed to amalgamate with another primary school in the town. My Department has approved grant aid to the school authority to provide accommodation for the amalgamated school.

The third school referred to by the Deputy has applied for funding for a stand alone PE hall. The band rating under the prioritisation criteria for such a project is 4.1.

In 2004, the fourth and the fifth schools referred to by the Deputy agreed to amalgamate. An application for capital works to facilitate the amalgamation was assessed within my Department and the project was assigned a band rating of 1.4.

A technical inspection was carried out on the existing school buildings to determine which would be suitable to host the amalgamated school. The report produced following this inspection concluded that the most suitable building to facilitate the amalgamation would be the fifth mentioned school. It also found that an additional portion of land would be required from the Sisters of Mercy to facilitate the development. The Sisters of Mercy have indicated that they would, in principle, be disposed to selling land to the Department to facilitate the proposed works.

The progression of this building project and the acquisition of the additional land required to facilitate the amalgamation, will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

The building projects referred to by the Deputy will be considered for progression 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 my Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of these projects at this time.

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