No Commitment from Minister on Star of the Sea

When the Dail returned last week I asked Deirdre Clune TD to ask the minister for education for an update on the school. I have attached the parlimentary question and reply from the minister. You can read the full text at the end of this post.

I think it is clear from the answer supplied by the minister that the only progress made since the last series of meetings and protests by yourselves has been progress on paper only.

While the school has moved up the priorty list no money has been allocated and there is by no means a gaurentee that money will be forthcoming. I want to convey that both Fine Gael and myself are still 100% behind the parents and children of Passage in the fight for a new school.

I hope that when progress is achieved that it is you and the other parents who have worked so hard to move this along will get and take the credit and not government politicians in their newsletters!

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Ceist Pharlaiminte

Chun an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíoctha
To the Minister for Education and Science

To ask the Minister for Education and Science the status of a school (details
supplied) in County Cork on the school building programme; the stage in the
process it is at; the point of the priority band rating it is at; when work on
site will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Deirdre Clune.

Star of the Sea, Passage West, Co Cork

* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 30th September, 2008.
Reference Number: 32234/08

Freagra

Minister Batt O’Keeffe

The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an early stage of
architectural planning. A stage submission is awaited from the Design Team.

All applications for large scale capital funding are assessed against published
prioritisation criteria which were formulated following consultation with the
Education Partners. Under the criteria, each project is assigned a Band Rating
which reflects the type of works required and the urgency attaching to them.
There are four Band Ratings in all with Band 1 being the highest and Band 4 the
lowest.  A Band 1 rating has been assigned to the project in question as a new
school building is required to facilitate the amalgamation of Passage West Boys
National School and St. Mary’s Convent National School.

The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project,
from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in
the context of my Department’s multi-annual School Building and Modernisation
Programme. However, in light of the fact that this project has not yet received
planning permission, it is not possible to give the Deputy a date for when work
on site will commence.