Vol. 571 No. 1
470 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science the estimated cost that would have been incurred in 2003 if school building projects which had been scheduled to go to tender and construction in 2002 had not been deferred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19741/03]
471 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science the school building projects which had been scheduled to proceed to tender and construction in 2002 but which were deferred due to budgetary constraints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19742/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 470 and 471 together.
There were 48 primary schools included in the school building programme for 2002 where major building projects were either to proceed to tender stage or where tenders had already been accepted on publication of the programme.
It became clear in late 2002 that the funding allocation for 2003 might be less than anticipated. On this basis, it was prudent therefore not to proceed in late 2002 with any projects that had not gone to tender or reached construction stage and to defer further progress of these projects until the funding landscape was more certain. Of the 48 primary school projects concerned, 28 had advanced to construction during 2002. Of the remaining 20 primary school projects where progress was paused, eight are part of the large scale primary school projects scheduled to proceed to construction in 2003 while the remaining 12 projects are still at architectural planning stage.
Had the eight primary school projects that are part of the large scale primary school projects in the 2003 building programme advanced to construction in 2002, the costs incurred in that year would have been determined chiefly by the month in which construction commenced. If these projects had been allowed to proceed in late 2002, the bulk of the costs would have been incurred during 2003 at an estimated cost of almost €7 million.
It is not possible to provide a similar estimate in respect of the 12 primary school projects that did not proceed in 2002 but are included in the architectural planning section of the 2003 school building programme. It is not the practice of my Department to publish cost estimates in relation to such projects in advance of tenders, as to do so could compromise the competitive tendering process.
