This year, €388 million was allocated in the school building programme which will deliver in excess of 260 significant school building projects at primary and post-primary level. Furthermore, over 570 additional schools will benefit in some way from the capital programme directly by means of temporary accommodation, permanent accommodation and-or improvements works. All primary schools benefit directly from the devolved grant scheme for minor works.
While all funding is committed and therefore not available for reallocation, the rate of drawdown on approved projects may by year end run somewhat slower than expected. However, I plan to use the carryover provision of the multi-annual capital envelope to carryover any such funds so that they can be applied to projects payments that fall due for payment early next year rather than late this year.
Apart from the schools where projects are at construction or are proceeding to tender and construction there are in excess of 1,000 other projects on hand for capital funding, either at various stages of architectural planning or at the initial application stage. Officials of the planning and building unit are reviewing all of these projects and applications, with a view to including them in a multi-annual building programme from 2005.
All projects are being assessed against the published prioritisation criteria, revised earlier this year in consultation with the Education partners.
I expect to publish the multi-annual programme following conclusion of the current Estimates and budgetary process.
