Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 2 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 2

Written Answers - Schools Refurbishment.

David Stanton

Question:

73 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science the further progress which has been made on the need to provide funding to improve the infrastructure on the Christian Brothers secondary school in Midleton, County Cork; the further progress that has been made on the proposal to build a PE hall at the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12331/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

My Department had agreed in principle to fund the provision of a PE hall of 608 m at this school to cater for a long-term enrolment of 500 pupils.

In line with the current procedure, the school authorities were given sanction in February 2000 to appoint a design team from a shortlist compiled from the Department's approved list of consultants. This appointment was made in June 2000.

More recently the school authorities asked that an overall assessment of the school's accommodation requirements be carried out and that the PE hall project be put on hold for the time being. In light of this request the planning section of my Department reviewed the school's long-term enrolments and forwarded the outcome of this review to the school authorities for their observations and acceptance. The school has since responded and its case for a higher enrolment projection is currently under consideration. A decision will be reached shortly on this matter and the school will be notified of the outcome.

Once the long-term enrolment figure has been determined the next step will be for the school to complete an educational worksheet based on this figure. This will enable my Department's senior inspector to complete a schedule of accommodation, reflecting the school's curricular needs. The schedule, in turn, will provide the basis to enable architectural planning to proceed.

In addition, the school authorities have applied for grant aid toward the cost of the replacement of windows and a condition report and tenders are currently being considered by the technical staff of my Department's planning and building unit. A decision will be made in due course and the outcome will be conveyed to the school authorities.

I assure the Deputy that the projects at the Christian Brothers secondary school, Midleton, will be processed as quickly as possible.