Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 June 2014
82. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of major refurbishments costing over €100,000 that have been approved for voluntary second level schools in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27542/14]
View answerInformation in respect of all school projects where funding has been approved under various schemes, including the Additional Accommodation and Emergency Works Schemes is available on my Department's website, broken down geographically, at www.education.ie, and this is updated regularly. The level of grant awarded is confidential to the Board of Management at the time of approval. School managements are advised that the dissemination of information regarding the grant amount approved for the project to a wider audience in advance of tendering for the works could prejudice the tender competition and thereby negating the grant offer.
The Deputy will be aware that the Five Year Construction Plan, that I announced in March 2012, lists the individual school projects that are planned to proceed to construction over the duration of the Plan. The Plan priorities new school building projects as well as major extensions in areas where significant demographic need has been established so that our school system is in a position to cater for increasing pupil numbers. In addition to the Five Year Construction Plan, the Department is committed to publishing a detailed annual programme in relation to planned expenditure on individual major school projects commencing construction. The first of these, which related to 2012 expenditure, was published in December 2011. The second, relating to 2013 expenditure, was published in December 2012 and the third, relating to 2014 expenditure was published in November 2013. The 5 Year Plan, together with the annual programmes may be viewed on my Department's website www.education.ie.
