John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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523. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what priority has a new national school (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42665/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware, an application for a new school building was submitted to my Department as part of the amalgamation process involving St Joseph's BNS and Mary Immaculate GNS. My Department's letter of approval in 2013 to the proposed amalgamation, from September 2014, noted that the amalgamation would proceed on a split campus basis.

As you will appreciate, the school's request must be considered in the context of the financial constraints imposed by the need to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential school accommodation. In that regard, due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of this school project at this time.

I wish to advise the Deputy however that my Department has approved funding towards the provision of a mainstream classroom and resource room to meet the school's immediate accommodation needs.