Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 64: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school's (details supplied) request to expand their school which is overcrowded and is no longer able to properly accommodate its students, particularly with regard to attempts to construct a new school at a different site to address the accommodation issues of it and other secondary schools in the Athenry area. [43427/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension and refurbishment project. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 2 rating.

Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including the project for the school in question, is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie.

The Forward Planning Section of the Department has carried out a study of the country to identify the areas where, due to demographic changes, there may be a requirement for significant additional school provision at both primary and post-primary levels over the coming years. Decisions will be taken on the means by which emerging needs will be met within the areas of growth identified, including Athenry.

The progression of all large scale building projects, including the project in question, 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.

In the meantime my Department approved funding to the school authority in May 2010 to provide a permanent extension of five general classrooms to meet its immediate additional accommodation needs. This funding was in addition to the significant funding approved in 2009 for the upgrade of the school's heating system and toilets and works to the glazing in the school.