Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I now wish to turn to how applications for building works are prioritised, a question that Senators have asked. In 2000-01, following consultation with the education partners, the Department published a list of criteria against which all large-scale building projects would be assessed and information on the four bands into which applications would from then on be organised, depending on the nature and urgency of the work required. Since then, when an application is received it is assessed against these criteria, looking at factors such as the demographics of the area, proposed housing developments, the condition of existing buildings, site capacity, etc. As part of this process, each project is assigned a band rating. Information on the criteria and band ratings are publicly available on the Department's website. Each school is told what its band rating is. The highest priority projects attract band 1 status, while the lowest fall into band 4. Each band rating is sub-divided to allow for selection within the bands where this becomes necessary.

As Senator Keaveney has already outlined, band 1 projects address the needs of schools in rapidly developing areas, the provision of specialist accommodation for special needs pupils, schools that are structurally unsound and rationalisation projects or amalgamations. Band 2 addresses the needs of schools that have a deficit of mainstream accommodation or which require refurbishment. There are six sub-categories in band 2. Each individual sub-category reflects the extent of an accommodation deficit or a refurbishment needed in a school.

Band 3 addresses the needs of schools that have no deficit of mainstream accommodation but that have a deficit of ancillary accommodation. There are five sub categories in band 3. Again, each sub-category reflects the extent of ancillary accommodation deficits or the extent of improvement works needed for ancillary accommodation. Band 4 addresses the needs of schools that have desirable but not urgent needs.

I specify again that each school knows exactly what is its band and sub-band rating. When it is necessary to select projects from within the same band, as a general principle, projects will be selected on the basis of enrolment stability, projects that have been the longest period in the planning process and the most cost effective solution.

I am satisfied that the prioritisation criteria are clear and unambiguous and that they bring an openness and transparency to the school building and modernisation programme. Their introduction has improved the management of the building programme in that a clear cut selection process ensures an orderly advancement, over time, of school building projects with the most urgent need being addressed first. I should also point out that with the introduction by the Government of the permanent accommodation, summer works and small schools schemes, the circulars governing these new initiatives have made it clear to schools which type of projects would qualify for funding.