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Schools Building Projects

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 May 2022

Tuesday, 24 May 2022

Ceisteanna (428)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

428. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the number of capital projects under her Department’s control that have requested increased funding due to supply costs increases; and the status of each project that requested such funding. [26213/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My Department has a large pipeline of projects for delivery under the school building programme. The main elements of this pipeline currently involve in excess of 1,300 school building projects for delivery under the Department’s Large Scale and Additional Accommodation Scheme. These projects are currently in progress across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction. There are currently in excess of 250 school building projects at construction (on site) with a continuous stream of other projects at or near the tendering stage. Most of which are expected to be either under construction or completed in the period up to 2025.

My Department is aware of the challenges presented by Covid-19, the fall-out from the war in Ukraine and the challenging market conditions currently underway, and is working proactively to ensure that all school building contracts are awarded as expeditiously as possible, while working within the parameters set by the Office of Government Procurement and principles of public procurement set out at both national and EU level.

It is not unusual for a Contractor to claim an increase in the contract sum during construction. These claims can be for a wide range of factors, including inflation.

The Office of Government Procurement (OGP), on Friday last, published details of the “Inflation/Supply Chain Delay Co-operation Framework Agreement” for the Public Works Contract. The publication follows the announcement on the 10 May 2022 of new measures for ex gratia payments to address the risk posed by exceptional inflation and supply chain disruption on projects being delivered under the Public Works Contract. 

On Monday 23rd May, the OGP published the workbooks to assist contracting authorities in calculating the Ex Gratia Payments.

It is likely that following publication of the guidance, claims may be made by Contractors in line with the published guidance. My Department will assess claims received in line with the published guidance.

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