Vol. 568 No. 1
96 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to contact schools or public representatives who were given assurances in advance of the general election that certain schools would have urgently required building work completed and who are still waiting, in the light of recent documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act 1997 and published in a newspaper (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15728/03]
I thank Deputy Gilmore for the opportunity to inform the House of the factual position relating to this issue.
In April 2002, my predecessor published, on the Department's website, a list of schools building projects which were to be progressed as part of the 2002 school building programme. This list of intended projects was based on a revised budget allocation of €172.64 million for primary school buildings. One of the crucial aspects of managing a multi-million euro annual capital programme is the timing of allowing projects to proceed to tender and construction. Some projects were scheduled to proceed to tender and construction in early 2002 and others were scheduled for later in the year. A substantial number of projects did proceed through design and on to construction. However, it became clear in late 2002 that the funding allocation for 2003 might be less than anticipated. On this basis, it was prudent not to proceed in late 2002 with the projects intended to go to tender and construction and to defer consideration of these projects until funding for 2003 was certain.
The publication of the Estimates in November 2002 detailed the 2003 funding allocation of €147.7 million for primary capital projects. Subsequently, I reallocated €20 million from within my overall departmental budget to increase the funding available to €167.7 million. The 2003 school building programme was based on this increased allocation.
I understand the frustration felt by schools that believed that their project would proceed to tender and construction in late 2002 and early 2003 and subsequently did not. However, Deputies will understand that I could only allow projects to advance within the funding available for capital projects at primary level.
I am pleased to advise Deputies that I am in ongoing discussions with my colleague, the Minister for Finance, to secure a four to five year funding envelope for the school building programme. I consider that this four to five year envelope will allow me give more certainty to schools on the timescale for their building projects.
I intend to continue the process of publishing changes to the school building programme on my Department's website. I consider that the publication of the programme is the best way to provide the maximum amount of information to managers, boards of management, principals, parents and students, and all other interested parties. It also shows that the programme is being operated in an open and transparent manner.
I was not talking about the list of schools as published by the Department of Education and Science but about the letters that schools, boards of management and even residents in certain areas received from candidates in the general election that stated schools would move forward where, subsequently, that has not been the case. Does the Minister not agree these people are entitled to an explanation? I respect the fact that the Minister did not make the promises at the time, but will he explain why these promises have not been kept? My party leader and I visited St. Nessan's school in Mungret in County Limerick on Friday. That school was clearly told its building project would proceed so will the Minister explain to it when the programme will get under way? The school knows that if it has not got the nod for this year, it may get it next year but it is most likely that it will be well into the future because of the hundreds of schools that are on the same list. Will the Minister go around the State to talk to these schools to tell them what is happening, as he did with the ASTI?
To ensure everyone knows exactly what is happening, all the information has been on the Department's website since early January.
It is not there.
Anyone who has difficulty reading it should contact the Department and I will ensure the information is made available. There is a list on the website of all projects that are in architectural planning in the Department and the stage at which they are. That should be clear. There was, however, a degree of confusion when we allocated the contingency fund, which was clearly indicated in section one of the Department's website and on the hard copy. If people read the full website there is more information than was ever previously available, including the criteria under which we will advance these projects.
What will happen in 2004 depends on the funding we get in the Estimates for that year. I hope, over the next six weeks I will have agreed a funding envelope for the next four or five years with the Minister for Finance. If I do that, I will be able to show everyone that is on the programme how they will progress in the next five years. Nothing could be fairer or more straightforward. It will ensure that people can see the information on the website whether or not there are elections and the information will be factual.
What about the promises that have already been made?
What is the position with Knockconnon national school, Emyvale, County Monaghan, which was guaranteed funding as a cross-Border peace and reconciliation project before the general election, and Maudabawn national school, where a letter, copied to 98 parents, was received informing those involved that the school project would go ahead? The Minister has not answered the question. Those letters contained false information in the light of funding available after the election.
The information is now on the website and that is the most up to date list.
That is cold comfort.
The Deputy has been in correspondence with me about at least one of the schools he has mentioned and I have explained the position.
Can the Minister explain how a school disappears from the schools building programme? Killeen national school in north Tipperary was told it was on the architectural planning list in letters not just from the Minister for Education and Science last year but from the Minister for Defence, who was even able to say how much money would be spent on it. Now it is nowhere to be found – it is not included in the current building programme and the Department has not been able to tell the school where it is.
The Minister admitted on the radio that his predecessor tried to spoof things up a little before the election and that funding is the issue. Will the Minister send a letter of apology to the schools that were promised funding but did not find that they were guaranteed funding for the current year? Will he clarify when this four or five year window of opportunity will be introduced? I called for this at a meeting of the Committee on Education and Science and it will go some way to saving money, as officials in the Department have admitted. Will it definitely be introduced?
Is there any guarantee this will not happen again at the next general election?
Is the Minister aware that Glenahulla national school in Mitchelstown was almost completed when the contractor failed and since then there has been no indication that the work will be undertaken?
The same contractor was involved in a number of schemes, including one in Cappoquin. There are procedures allowing for the completion of the contract but it is the responsibility of the board of management to put the process out to tender once more. That happened in Cappoquin but I am not sure what has happened in the case mentioned by Deputy Sherlock.
The inclusion of the building programme on the website is the best guarantee anyone can have that it will be open, transparent and accountable. Deputies who are concerned about political inter ference in the system should be honest with people when they are asked to make representations to have a school moved up the list and say that there is nothing that can be done and that the list is final.
What about the Minister who sent out letters last year? We are being told to be honest? What about the Minister who waved letters around last year stating that work would start in September?
That is the system – be honest with people. The Opposition is accusing us of not being honest but the information is on the website.
Website my barney, the Minister sat down with us last year and told lies.
The information is on the website and people should be referred to it. Some schools were omitted from the list and I will check the specific example Deputy Enright mentioned.
They were not omitted in May last year.
Some were left off the list inadvertently and some were not at the architectural planning stage when the list was published. I will check the case the Deputy mentioned.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
