Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science. Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I thank Deputy O'Connor for raising this matter as it gives me an opportunity of outlining to the House the Department's position regarding the building project for Scoil Ard Mhuire, Belgard, Tallaght.

As part of the multi-annual school building programme, the Government has invested heavily in the modernisation of school facilities throughout the country in recent years. More than €2.6 billion was provided for school building infrastructure between 2000 and 2006 under the last national development plan and a further €4.5 billion is being invested under the current National Development Plan 2007-2013, of which €653 million is being provided this year alone.

In the period from 2002 to date, in the region of 650 large-scale building projects at primary and post-primary schools were given approval to proceed to tender and construction. Close to 500 of these projects have reached practical completion. In addition to the large-scale projects thousands of smaller projects were funded in this period under programmes such as the small schools scheme, permanent accommodation scheme and summer works scheme.

In view of the large amount of activity under the school building and modernisation programme, it was prudent to improve efficiency and ensure value for money. In this regard a number of innovations have been introduced in recent years, such as fixed price contracts, delivery of small-scale projects on a devolved basis, the development of generic repeat design buildings and the use of design and build contracts to deliver very large schools building projects. With regard to major projects the Department's role is concentrated in setting the initial design parameters. Initial designs are evaluated at meetings rather than through correspondence to speed up the design phase.

The Deputy will be aware that there has been a substantial increase in the demand for additional accommodation in existing schools and for the provision of complete new school buildings in developing areas in recent years. This results from a rapidly increasing school population and the appointment of 6,000 extra teachers in the primary sector alone since 2002. At the same time, the Department has been significantly improving and modernising the condition of existing school buildings to ensure the highest standard of permanent accommodation for all schools. It was in this context that funding for the upgrading of the Scoil Ard Mhuire school building was approved.

As the Deputy will be aware, in recent years the Department has introduced a number of devolved grant schemes. A key principle behind the devolution of these schemes is that responsibility for the management of the project is devolved to the school authority. The school authority can then make use of its local knowledge and presence on the ground to manage the project more effectively and ensure better value for money for the taxpayer.

The Department funds the work on receipt of the necessary certification from the school's architect that the work has been completed to a satisfactory standard. However, the contract for the works in such cases is between the school authorities and the builder. In the case of Scoil Ard Mhuire, the Department became aware of some difficulties with the project when it was nearing completion. Since then, officials from the Department have met the school management and have been in ongoing contact with the parties with the express aim of having the project completed satisfactorily and at best value to the taxpayer. Department officials will continue to work with the school authority with a view to ensuring a satisfactory outcome to the current situation and the completion of the project.

I thank the Deputy again for giving me the opportunity of outlining the current position to the House and assure him of the Minister's commitment to seeing the satisfactory conclusion of this project in a way that provides value for money for the taxpayer. I note the contents of the Deputy's contribution and will ensure the issues he has articulated will be brought to the attention of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe.

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