Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 10 Apr 2003

Vol. 565 No. 2

Written Answers. - Schools Building Projects.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

57 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the specific proposals he has to meet the commitment given in An Agreed Programme for Government to ensure that every school attains set modern standards; the proposed set standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10205/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

The 2003 schools building programme was published on 22 January, 2003 and amounted to €342.9 million, four times the amount allocated in 1997. The 2003 programme will deliver over 140 large-scale projects at primary and post-primary level. In addition approximately 430 schools will benefit in some way from the capital programme and of course all primary schools benefit directly from the devolved grants scheme for minor works.

An innovative feature of this year's programme is the introduction of a devolved building initiative for small rural primary schools. A total of 20 school communities will benefit from this pilot initiative. The cost of the 2003 building programme published on my Department's web site provides details of the level of commitments to be met in 2003 and the estimated amount available for new projects.

The Government remains committed to continuing the work that it has started and to consolidate the substantial progress that has already been made in order to ensure that the needs of schools throughout the country are met over time. The process of investment in educational infrastructure begun by the previous Government will be continued as outlined in An Agreed Programme for Government. To meet our objectives I will be looking closely at the potential for using PPP mechanisms and the concept advanced in An Agreed Programme for Government of a multi-annual programme schools' modernisation fund to be financed through the National Development Finance Agency.

In order to ensure the long-term planning of capital provision through a precise and detailed identification of accommodation needs in schools, my Department has undertaken, on a pilot basis, a comprehensive inventory of accommodation of 115 primary and post-primary schools in County Kildare. The information gained from the survey will be placed on a geographic information system, GIS, database. My Department is at present undertaking a detailed assessment of the pilot phase of the inventory to determine the exact nature and extent of the nationwide survey.

The proposed standards will be largely based on the planning guidelines for primary and post-primary schools currently used by my Department.