Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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218. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the building unit of his Department will consider and approve the proposal for a new building which was submitted by a centre (details supplied) in October 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8782/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of a capital application from the Educational Centre in question. This application is being considered in the context of the need to prioritise available budgets towards the provision of essential classroom accommodation. My Department expect to be in contact with the Educational Centre, in question, shortly.  

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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219. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the teacher education section of his Department will provide financial assistance to a centre (details supplied) to find a temporary solution to its parking problems while it is awaiting a response to its proposal for a new site and building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8783/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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There are 21 full time and 9 part time Education Centres.  The Education Centre network provides a national infrastructure for the delivery of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for teachers and Centres.  Every centre has a locally elected Management Committee and a Director appointed on secondment. 

My Department is the main funder of Education Centres through direct budget allocations for administrative staff pay and operating costs and local courses. In 2017, the Department provided funding of €436,948 to Limerick Education Centre and a similar level of funding will be provided in 2018.  

Limerick Education Centre has been situated in the Limerick and Clare ETB, Marshal House, Dooradoyle building since 2011 and shares the car park with the ETB.  The Centre has advised the Department that since September 2017 it has been experiencing car parking difficulties and has submitted a proposal with long term and interim solutions.

Officials of my Department are working with the Centre to see how best its needs can be met in this important area.