I will be announcing post-primary school projects that are suitable for inclusion in public private partnership, PPP, project bundles in the new year. Once a major building project is approved for any school, the delivery method for the project may be by way of traditional procurement or by way of public private partnership. Projects may be selected for procurement by the public private partnership method where it is considered that the size of the project or bundle of projects will generate interest in the private sector. In addition, the size of the individual schools and their potential to achieve construction efficiencies is considered. Post-primary schools are more likely to fit these criteria. Projects selected for delivery by the PPP method are generally confined to new builds on a greenfield site where the State holds title to the site.
The outcome of an evaluation of completed pilot PPP schools projects will form part of the consideration of further PPP projects together with a thorough assessment of affordability in the context of the competing demands on future capital funding envelopes. EUROSTAT changes to the accounting treatment of PPPs will also be taken into account in the consideration of any new projects.