Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
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300. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total amount of money that has been paid by his Department to a private organisation (details supplied); if he will specify the legal basis for these payments and, in the absence of such a legal basis, when he proposes to get repayment of the money that has been paid to the private organisation concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23300/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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There is a lease in place between the school and the GAA club referred to by the Deputy. My Department understands that the GAA club is also leased from Cork City Council. My Department is not a party to either lease and cannot comment on the legal basis for either lease.

My Department's records show that the initial agreement between the school and the GAA club was for annual rental of €16,507 (£13,000 punts) in 1999 with provision for an annual rental review. The current annual rent payable to the GAA club is €32,000 per annum which was agreed between the school and the GAA club in July 2004. The annual rent has remained unchanged since then. Leasing arrangements between Cork City Council and the GAA club are not a matter for my Department and I will therefore not comment on those.

A major building project to provide permanent accommodation for the school is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. My Department will continue to progress this project to provide a permanent building for the school which will allow the school to vacate the existing temporary accommodation thus removing the need for further rental payments.