I propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 411 together.
The Government is determined to consolidate the substantial progress that has already been made in order to ensure that the needs of schools throughout the country are met over time. This year the school building programme amounts to €342.9 million. The 2003 programme will deliver over 140 large-scale projects at primary and post-primary level. In addition several hundred schools will benefit in some way from the capital programme and of course all primary schools benefit directly from the devolved grants scheme for minor works.
I have also introduced two new initiatives at primary level. First, I have put in place a pilot initiative that is aimed at devolving responsibility for the planning and construction phases of improvement works to school authorities. Specifically, the initiative is focused on small and mostly rural primary schools where the enrolment profile is stable. Twenty primary schools were invited to participate in the pilot phase of the initiative, which will be reviewed at the end of 2003 with a view to its expansion, subject to the availability of funding.
Second, I am endeavouring to reduce the level of temporary accommodation being provided. The new pilot initiative funds schools to respond quickly to accommodation difficulties. There is minimal interaction with my Department and the school is fully empowered to drive the design and construction processes. I fully expect that this initiative will inform future policy and that the scheme will be expanded to include more schools in future years.
The recent update of the school building programme sets out the most urgent of the additional temporary accommodation projects that are being funded in 2003. I am pleased to advise the House that, in line with the concept outlined in An Agreed Programme for Government for a multi-annual programme schools' modernisation fund, I am in ongoing discussions with my colleague, the Minister for Finance, to secure a four to five-year funding envelope for the schools' building programme.