Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 February 2014
297. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way Tramore’s new co-educational secondary school and its ancillary facilities will operate under the PPP programme, including the contract payment mechanism; and the input his Department has had in the management plan being put in place by BAM Building covering the 25-year concession period. [9425/14]
View answerArdscoil na Mara, Tramore was procured as part of my Department's Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme. The school was designed, built, financed and shall be maintained by BAM Schools Bundle Three Limited for a period of 25 years.
At the outset of the project the Department established an output specification for the project including its requirements for ongoing building management and maintenance. The project was then referred to the National Development Finance Agency ("NDFA") to manage the procurement and delivery of the PPP contract. In managing the delivery of the contract, the NDFA worked closely with the appointed PPP Company (BAM Schools Bundle Three Limited) to agree service delivery plans which detail the systems required to manage my Department's output specifications. Throughout the 25 years contract period monthly meetings are held with the PPP Company to review and assess ongoing performance as reported by the school and PPP Company.
The payment mechanism set out in the contract governs the terms and conditions of payment for the delivery of the school and for the provision of the building management and maintenance services. It incorporates a payment deduction regime in the event services provided do not meet the service levels required in the output specification, with ongoing performance being monitored by the schools and the PPP Company.
The school's Board of Management remains responsible for all matters associated with the day-to-day running of the school and with the delivery of educational services therein.
