Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 November 2004
1 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science her priorities for capital improvements in the education sector for 2005; the number of primary and secondary school building projects that will be progressed in 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30789/04]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Minister for Finance on budget day 2003 introduced rolling five-year multi-annual envelopes for capital investment. At the publication of the Estimates for 2005 last week the Minister indicated that he intends to deal with adjustments to those envelopes in the context of the upcoming budget. Consequently, I am not in a position to define my detailed plans for capital expenditure across the sector in 2005 until after budget day. I can, however, give the Deputy a general indication of my approach.
In the case of third level education, the agenda is set by the Kelly report, Review and Prioritisation of Capital Projects in the Higher Education Sector. The planned countrywide roll-out of broadband to schools during 2005 will continue to influence how funds are provided for schools ICT.
The Deputy asked specifically about primary and post-primary schools. While I must await clarification of my final allocation on budget day, clearly in 2005 I will want to make further significant inroads on moving to tender and construction projects that are already in the final stages of the design process and are likely to be ready to go to tender during the year.
In advancing the school building programme, I will be anxious to further develop the focused schemes introduced to address historical under-investment in our schools, including initiatives such as the summer works scheme, which benefited more than 450 schools in 2004, and the initiative to allow small primary schools to undertake building and modernisation works on a devolved basis, which has already benefited more than 60 primary schools. These devolved initiatives with the permanent accommodation initiative have been welcomed by all the education partners in that they give funding directly to management authorities to manage their own building projects. I am convinced of the merit of using a devolved approach where appropriate and I see it as an important part of my strategy to improve school accommodation.
In tandem with moving new projects forward, whether through traditional or devolved processes, I will of course maintain the asbestos, radon and dust extraction remediation programmes and will make the usual provision for emergency works.
I thank the Minister for her reply. In 2003 while certain projects were progressed and finished, only 12 primary and 14 post-primary school building projects were started from scratch. While I imagine we do not have the total figure for 2004 yet, does the Minister anticipate making greater progress in 2005? Her predecessor carried out a trawl through the school building programme and admitted that progress was slower than he would have liked. Does she feel she will be able to make greater progress? I share the Minister's support for devolved initiatives, particularly the summer works scheme and the primary schools initiative. Has the Minister received queries from schools where the cost of completing these works ends up considerably higher than originally anticipated and schools are being left with significant shortfalls, which they must fill?
A sum of €388 million has been allocated to the schools building programme for 2004, which is the largest in history. This should deliver in excess of 260 significant new projects at or going to construction during the year and 450 smaller-scale projects under the €31 million summer works scheme as well as site purchases etc. Some projects have experienced delays in getting the correct number of tenders, delays in getting on site or delays with planning permissions or planning appeals. However, a huge number of projects are already on site and more will have substantial construction completed by the end of the year.
The Deputy asked about the money allocated to devolved schemes. We have successfully allocated money under programmes like the summer works scheme, which work well. I am aware of cases particularly with the devolved scheme for extensions to smaller schools, where some of the tenders are coming in considerably higher than expected. This appears to be happening in some areas and not in others. Last week I met representatives from a school in Tipperary, which had been allocated €250,000 for two classrooms. While on the face of it one would have thought this was substantial enough — a two-classroom extension is little bigger than a bungalow — the tenders came in at €350,000. While the bidding contractors were all from Kilkenny, last Friday I visited a school in Kilkenny that had added three classrooms for €100,000. There are ways of negotiating at local level that would benefit local people and schools in the long term. We are very much in favour of progressing this matter.
I believe the Deputy had a third question.
Does the Minister intend to make any internal changes in her Department in light of the underspend that will facilitate the smoother running of projects in the building programme? The number of stages a project must go through slows the process down.
I am anxious to review the progress of expenditure, going to site and construction at various stages during the year. The number of projects unable to go ahead because of planning difficulties only came to light in the autumn. It then became difficult to allow other schools to go ahead because they were on-site. We must look carefully at the timing of allowing schools to go on site and free up money for others as the year progresses.
2 Ms O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science the amount of the capital budget for school buildings which has not been spent in 2004 on primary and secondary schools; the reason it has not been spent; if such moneys will carry over into 2005; if she will consider a substitute list for the schools building programme to ensure that money allocated to projects but not spent can be allocated to other projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30716/04]
View answerUnder the multi-annual capital envelope framework, I can carry over 10% of my allocation for 2004-05 and I project a need to do so at present. I plan to carry over €50 million and I am not limited to a carryover of €39 million as recently reported in the media. This means that I can allocate the entire carryover to primary and post-primary buildings in 2005 to match any amount not spent from the 2004 allocations for primary and post-primary school buildings.
Any saving in 2004 on school buildings is not due to a reduction or cutback in planned activity. Ultimately, we are talking about some payments on existing projects that have already been approved to go to tender and construction that will not be due for payment in 2004 as originally envisaged. A record level of new school projects was commissioned in 2004 and payments expected to fall due before the end of this year are now more likely to be met in early 2005. However, the decision by the Government to put its entire capital programme, including the education capital programme, on a multi-annual basis means that it is easier to manage and cope with that type of variation in projected spending.
The Deputy will appreciate that the 2004 school building programme is a multifaceted undertaking, involving many hundreds of individual projects ranging from new school buildings, extensions, refurbishments and other projects under the summer works scheme to temporary accommodation and permanent accommodation initiatives, remediation programmes and the contingency fund. In addition, my Department funds the purchase of sites for new schools building projects.
There are many reasons which can cause unexpected delays in the pace at which some projects advance. These include an appeal of planning permission by third parties to An Bord Pleanála, contractors withdrawing tenders and design teams being slower than anticipated in getting projects tendered.
Through the carryover measure, however, and the overall management of my capital budget and Department spending until the end of the year, I will ensure that all funds remaining for 2004, together with whatever allocation I receive for 2005, will enable me to maintain the momentum in the capital building programme started by this year's record level of activity.
We all understand that there can be delays but will all the money allocated for 2004 be spent? The Minister said that she could carry over €50 million but does she expect there will be an underspend of more than €50 million by the end of this year and, if so, what happens to that money? Can it be spent within the capital schools budget?
There was a presentation to the Joint Committee on Education and Science on speeding up the process by having standardised architectural designs for specific sizes of schools. Has any progress been made in that area? It has the capacity to save money and speed the process up.
Whatever money is underspent in the primary and post-primary building programmes this year will be spent in those programmes next year. Bills are still coming in and we will pay them before the end of the year, but any underspend remaining which may be used in other capital expenditure will be refunded in 2005. The primary and post-primary schools will not be at a loss as a result of underspending this year. The €50 million is all that I envisage carrying forward to next year.
Standard designs have been drawn up for eight and 16 teacher schools. They are not appropriate designs for every school. They are best on greenfield sites rather than for existing buildings, but we are identifying sites for next year that could go under the generic design because it is a success and cuts down on architectural and engineering fees.
I welcome that we are not losing out on any of the money for this year but is there a danger that there might be less money next year because of the carryover?
There is no danger of that happening.
The Minister will enjoy our full support in this matter.
I appreciate that.
