Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2004
232 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason for the delay of two years in assessing an application for development and refurbishment of a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; if he can investigate the fact that it appears his Department lost the plans for the school; the reason the fees were paid to the design team prior to his Department accepting the project. [17318/04]
View answer233 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science if design team fees are paid by his Department prior to or subsequent to his Department accepting a project. [17319/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 232 and 233 together.
In December 2003 the school was offered €350,000 under the small and rural primary schools initiative. The scheme operates on a devolved basis. It allows boards of management to address accommodation and building priorities with a guaranteed amount of funding and control the pace building works proceed.
On 30 January the board of management informed my Department that it would not participate in the scheme. The project will progress in the traditional manner.
Indicative timescales were included for large-scale projects proceeding to tender in 2004. The budget announcement regarding multi-annual capital envelopes will enable me to adopt a multi-annual framework for the schools building programme. This will allow me to be clearer about projects are do not progress to tender in this year's programme, including the school referred to. During the year I will make a further announcement.
Fees are generally paid on the satisfactory completion of a stage submission.
234 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science when progress will be made on an application for an extension to a school (details supplied) in County Donegal. [17320/04]
View answer280 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education and Science about a school building (details supplied) in County Donegal. [17523/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 280 together.
The large-scale building project is listed in section 8 of the 2004 schools building programme. It is published on my Department's website www.education.ie. It is at stages 4 or 5 or pre-receipt of tender documents of architectural planning. My Department assigned it a band 4 rating in accordance with the published criteria for prioritising large-scale projects.
Indicative timescales were included for large-scale projects proceeding to tender in 2004. The budget announcement regarding multi-annual capital envelopes will enable me to adopt a multi-annual framework for the schools building programme, which in turn will give greater clarity regarding projects that are not progressing to tender in this year's programme, including the school in question. I will make a further announcement during the year.
