Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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Question 262: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the planned amalgamation of three post primary schools (details supplied) in County Cork; if funding is still available for this project; the expected timescale for the commencement of this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18672/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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In September 2005, my Department announced the allocation of funding of €300 million for an Education PPP Programme comprising of 23 new post primary schools and 4 new primary schools under a major expansion of the Government's Public Private Partnership Programme. The provision of the proposed new secondary school in Skibbereen was included in that announcement. A site has been acquired for the new amalgamated school.

As part of the Jobs Initiative announcement I confirmed that I am developing two further bundles of PPP schools. The provision of the school in Skibbereen will be considered for inclusion in this context. The make up and timing of school bundles in my Department's PPP school building programme will be determined by in consultation with the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA). The issues to be considered in the timing and bundling of these schools include site availability for each school, geographical spread and the estimated total cost of the proposed school bundle. The normal time scale for the provision of the accommodation from the time of the announcement of a bundle of schools, is 4 years approximately.