Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 27 Feb 2001

Vol. 531 No. 3

Written Answers. - National Development Plan.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

438 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the sections and division of the European Commission which are involved in assisting and-or monitoring the implementation of those aspects of the national development plan for which his Department has responsibility; the name of the senior EU official with responsibility for that role; the number of meetings that have taken place since the publication of the national development plan between officials of his Department and the relevant officials of the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5615/01]

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

439 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will state for that section of the national plan for which he has responsibility for its implementation, the number of consultants who have been hired by his Department to assist with the design or implementation of the national development plan; the projects in which they are engaged; the cost of those projects; the approximate professional fee cost which the consultants will be charging his Department on completion of the consultancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5631/01]

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

440 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the aspect of the national development plan for which his Department has responsibility; the precise number of projects which are a part of that section of the national plan for which his Department has responsibility; the number of personnel in his Department who are working full-time and part-time on the national development plan; their grade within the Civil Service; the budgeted cost for each project; the timetable for its implementation; the stage at which it is at; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5649/01]

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

441 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of groups, both statutory and non-statutory but excluding local authorities, with which his Department is in regular contact or consultation in respect of the implementation of that section of the national plan for which his Department has responsibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5676/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 438 to 441, inclusive, together.

Following the publication of the national development plan in 1999, the Department of Finance which has overall responsibility for the NDP and community support framework, led the negotiations with regard to the development of the CSF and chaired the inaugural meeting of the NDP-CSF monitoring committee meeting. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in its capacity as managing authority for both the employment and human resources development operational programme and the productive sector operational programme, led the negotiations on these operational programmes and chaired the respective monitoring committee meetings. This Department, as an implementing Department, participated in these meetings, as appropriate. With regard to the senior EU officials responsible for the Irish community support framework and the operational programmes, this information is being supplied by the Departments of Finance, and Enterprise, Trade and Employment in response to their respective parliamentary questions on this matter.

With reference to the Deputy's request for the precise number of projects, with respective costings and implementation plans in the education sector, the NDP has allocations of £1.893 billion and £3.478 billion, for capital and current programmes respectively. Given the scale of the activities, both capital and current, within my Department, it would require an inordinate amount of official time to answer the Deputy's questions in the detail requested. However, if the Deputy has any queries regarding a specific project or programme, I will be happy to forward the information to him.

With regard to the number of officials engaged in my Department on the NDP, there is a dedicated NDP-structural funds unit engaged in this process. This unit currently has a staffing allocation of five full-time, two part-time and a job-sharing official, comprising a part-time principal officer, with additional responsibilities, other than NDP-CSF, a full-time assistant principal officer, a part-time assistant principal officer, with additional responsibilities, other than NDP-CSF, two full-time and one job-sharing higher executive officer, two full-time executive officers and a full-time clerical officer. However, due to the wide range of education programmes in the NDP, crossing all sectors of the education system, there are 15 additional sections in my Department engaged in the process of delivering these programmes. Over the life of the NDP, it is anticipated that there will be up to 4,300 statutory and non-statutory centres, for example, schools, vocational education committees, institutes of technology, the Higher Education Authority, the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, and the education sector, involved in the delivery of NDP measures.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

442 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will outline, in respect of that section of the national development plan for which his Department has responsibility, the number of public-private partnerships that have been identified; the number that are under active consideration; the name, location and potential cost of such projects; if any exchange of letters has taken place; if any other initial firm commitment has been entered into with prospective private providers; the approximate capital value of all projects so identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5691/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

My Department has identified three projects that are regarded as suitable for public-private partnership procurement. They are the Cork School of Music; five new post-primary schools which are grouped into a single project; and the National Maritime College, Ringaskiddy, Cork. The Cork School of Music and the post-primary schools projects are at an advanced stage with private sector bids received on 2 February. The design, construction, financing, legal and service requirements of the bids are currently being evaluated by the project boards and it is not possible to give the capital costs at this stage. I expect to announce a preferred bidder for both projects shortly. The post-primary schools are located in: Ballincollig, County Cork, Clones, County Monaghan, Dunmanway, County Cork, Shannon, County Clare and Tubbercurry, County Sligo.

Following a Government decision in May 2000, approval was given for the establishment of a National Maritime College in Ringaskiddy, County Cork using the public private partnership model and planning for the provision of the college is well under way in my Department.

Following an advertisement in the Official Journal of the European Communities and in the national media, management consultants were recently appointed to support my Department's public private partnership unit with the procurement of the project. In parallel with the process of appointing management consultants, an application for outline planning permission for the new college was submitted by the Cork Institute of Technology to Cork County Council in September 2000. An interdepartmental expert working group estimated the capital cost of the project at approximately £27 million – 1999 prices – and this will be reviewed as the process develops.

All of the above projects are being developed on a design, build, finance and operate basis. In the PPP process, while the maintenance and operation of the buildings will be a matter for the successful bidder for the duration of the service contract, normally around 25 years, the management of all three facilities and their day to day running will remain with the existing management authorities.