Written Answers. - Schools Building Projects.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
132
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
his preferred options to deal with the schools building programme at primary and second level; his plans to tackle the issue in the next 12 months or thereafter; if his attention has been drawn to the likely increased cost arising from delays or postponements of the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15763/03]
This year the school building programme amounts to €342.9 million. The 2003 programme will deliver 146 large-scale projects at primary and post-primary level. In addition, approximately 433 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. The programme is designed to give the maximum amount of information to managers, boards of management, principals, parents and students and to give an assurance that it is being operated in an open and transparent manner. The criteria for prioritising school building projects were also published for the first time.
The Government is determined 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. In this regard already this year I have introduced two new initiatives at primary level. Firstly, I have put in place a pilot initiative that is aimed at devolving responsibility for the planning and construction phases of improvement works to school authorities. Specifically, the initiative is focused on small and mostly rural primary schools where the enrolment profile is stable. Twenty primary schools were invited to participate in the pilot phase of the initiative, which will be reviewed at the end of 2003 with a view to its expansion, subject to the availability of funding. Secondly, I am endeavouring to reduce the level of temporary accommodation being provided. The new pilot initiative funds schools to respond quickly to accommodation difficulties. There is minimal interaction with my Department and the school is fully empowered to drive the design and construction processes. I fully expect that this initiative will inform future policy and that the scheme will be expanded to include more schools in future years.
I am conscious from my previous experience in the Department of Environment and Local Government that innovative building methods could reduce costs and provide top quality accommodation and I have asked the building unit in my Department to consider these methodologies in the context of school buildings. In particular my Department is exploring ways of reducing the time-frame for processing projects through architectural planning and new standard plans are being devised, initially, for eight and 16 classroom primary schools. The main advantage is that my Department will be in a position to respond more quickly to building needs, having regard to the level of funding available. The process will also reduce the number of stages that a project must proceed through in architectural planning and it is expected that savings will be achieved on design fees.
I will be looking closely at the potential for using PPP mechanisms as an additional method of advancing the school building programme. However, it is likely that only larger green-field site projects will be suitable for consideration under the PPP process.
A submission has been made to the Department of Finance for a multi-annual financial envelope for educational infrastructure. A decision in the matter is expected shortly.
In order to assist 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 has been placed on a geographic information system database. The Department is at present undertaking a detailed assessment of the pilot phase of the inventory with a view to extending it further, having regard to available resources.
In relation to the tender cost of school building projects, my Department's cost limits have not been revised upwards for some time. The Society of Chartered Surveyors' index shows that the current tender prices reflect December 2000 levels and there is no reason to believe that there will be any increases in tender levels over the coming year.
