David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 128: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the correspondence and discussions she has had with a school (details supplied) over the past two years following a meeting in November 2008 in relation to the provision of additional permanent accommodation for the school; the consideration she has given to the school's proposal as to the way that this permanent accommodation can be funded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33514/10]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 199: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will facilitate a meeting with a member of her Department's building unit and representatives of a school (details supplied) in County Cork in which 80% of pupils are housed in prefabs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32815/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 199 together.

My Department is in receipt of a major capital application for an extension from the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 2.2 rating.

Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including this project, is available on the 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 the 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.

The Department has received the proposal from the school and officials in my Department will contact the school shortly in this regard.