Written answers

Thursday, 15 March 2012

Department of Education and Skills

Schools Building Projects

1:00 pm

Photo of Seán KyneSeán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 44: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a primary school (details supplied) in Galway, currently dependent on eight prefabs to cater for more than half of its 450 pupils in Galway city, has been omitted from the five-year schools building plan as announced this week. [14819/12]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet the demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The five year programme announced earlier this week is focused on meeting those demographic needs. In that context, it was not possible to advance all applications for capital funding concurrently.

The building project for Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning and the Stage 2(b) submission (Detailed Design) was approved by the Departments Planning and Building Unit on 10th January 2012. However, in light of current competing demands on the Department's capital budget, it is not possible to progress this project to tender and construction at this time.

Photo of Seán KyneSeán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 45: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the only secondary school teaching through the medium of English and serving communities in a large geographical area (details supplied), in view of the immense efforts expended by the local community in the design and planning stages, has been omitted from the five-year schools building plan. [14820/12]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The Design Team are currently working on finalising the Stage 2(b) Submission (Detailed Design and Tender Documents) which will then be forwarded to my Department for review.

In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet the demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The five year programme announced earlier this week is focused on meeting those demographic needs. In that context, it was not possible to advance all applications for capital funding concurrently.

In light of current competing demands on the Department's capital budget, it is not possible at this time to give an indicative timeframe for the progression to tender and construction of the project.

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