Vol. 427 No. 8
117 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education the steps, if any, she has for a crash programme to update and modernise primary schools in view of the conditions highlighted in the recent survey undertaken by the INTO, which showed that 36 per cent of those surveyed voiced fears for the safety of children in their care because of defects in the buildings or their environs.
I do not accept that the extent of substandard accommodation is anywhere near the proportion implied by the Deputy in his question. Such a situation would not accord with the knowledge on the condition of schools within my Department nor with the level of capital expenditure at £84 million which has taken place over the last five years involving upwards of 300 major projects and thousands of minor projects. Between major projects and minor projects it is estimated that the National Schools Capital Programme for 1993 will impact on 45 per cent of all national schools in the form of projects in course of planning or already underway. As provided for in the Programme for Government there will be increased capital expenditure over the five years 1993-1997 which will be directed systematically at the most deserving cases in order to eliminate as far as possible unacceptable standards of accommodation.
I am concerned to achieve greater clarity and transparency in the way in which major building projects are processed through the various stages of planning up to the placing of a contract. Accordingly I have instructed my Department to develop a system whereby major projects will be regularly listed in order of priority by reference to clearly defined criteria of need.
