Michael Bell
Question:91 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will make a statement on when examination of all schools in relation to asbestos will be completed. [7117/00]
Written Answers. - School Buildings.
In March 1999, my Department formally requested the Office of Public Works to undertake a pilot survey of 196 schools in the south-east to determine the location, type, form and condition of any asbestos material present and the steps necessary to manage the problem. The intention of my Department in conducting the sample survey was to obtain information on the likely scale and extent of the presence of asbestos in school buildings nationwide. The initial survey was completed in July 1999 by a firm of specialist consultants commissioned by the Office of Public Works. It identified an asbestos presence in some form or another in 59 of the 196 schools surveyed, i.e. about 30%.
Although generally speaking the condition of the material was found to be good and posed no immediate health risk, its removal where possible was recommended and a programme of works was commenced immediately with funding made available from my Department. Remediation work has now been completed in most of the 59 schools identified in the survey.
The survey has since been extended to all schools nationwide, primary and post-primary, and the management authorities and principals of every school were informed of this in December 1999.
In view of the specialist nature of the survey and the fact that approximately 4,000 buildings are involved, it is difficult to give an exact timescale for the completion of the work. However, at the moment the timescale envisaged is three years.
Where asbestos requiring removal is detected, either as a result of the survey or otherwise, arrangements to undertake the work in accordance with the relevant health and safety legislation are made by my Department and the Office of Public Works. The entire cost of the programme of detection and removal is being borne by my Department. The necessary level of funding will continue to be allocated to the programme as a priority.