Ms Helen O'Neill:

The rapid build programme was introduced in 2008 to deal with the need for schools to be constructed in a very short time in order to address a demographic need at the time. It is a project for the delivery of new schools when new schools are required in a short timeframe. This arises, for instance, where a new school has been established in temporary accommodation and there is a delay in the identification and procurement of a permanent site for the permanent home for that school, and the school is rapidly outgrowing its temporary accommodation. Once the new site is identified and the procurement process has commenced, the project progresses as part of the rapid programme to ensure that the permanent accommodation is available in the shortest possible time, thus allowing the school to move from its temporary home and avoid the need for additional temporary accommodation. The ideal scenario is when the site is identified and the procurement process commenced where the need for a new school is identified, thus allowing the accommodation to be in place when the new school is established and the school can move immediately into its new home. Because of the new school announcement, we are looking at methods by which we can address some of the schools on that list in that time frame.

The timeframe for a rapid project, where there is a smooth site acquisition process and a smooth planning process can take anything from two to three years, but is dependent on that. Planning permissions are difficult for schools, as we are all aware. That can add up to a year to the planning process, if it has to go to An Bord Pleanála, if there are requests for information and so on. Under the rapid programme, there is a project manager with an internal technical team and there is an internal administrative team. They work closely together and with the local authorities to try to ensure a smooth planning process so that no problems arise in the delivery of the school. It does not always work because external influences always come into play. One major issue that arises is that of traffic around schools.

Nevertheless, a project can progress through the system by the traditional method if it is not impeded by issues related to sites and planning in about four to six years. We have a system in place called the adapt system, which has 20 projects which are being project managed to proceed through the traditional system. The intention is to roll out more adapt systems in future.