Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I wish to share my time with Senator O'Sullivan. In the National Development Plan 2000-2006, funding of €2.6 billion was provided for 7,800 building projects. A further €4.5 billion is to be invested in school buildings in the next few years. The crux of this issue is that the new planning and building unit has been reorganised along with the forward planning section for developing areas. The Minister has placed huge emphasis on this and it is important that the unit liaises with local authorities, identifies where schools are needed and ensures they are delivered as quickly as possible. That is what the Minister and myself want and we must push for this.

Information systems must be improved. Population trends must be assessed for enrolment at primary level and increased migration must be taken into account. The Minister emphasised she wants transparency about this and she has made no bones about that.

I also welcome the proposed joined up thinking involving the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, local authorities, county managers, the Minister for Education and Science and the Dublin transport authority. All the stakeholders should work closely when planning schools building projects.

I recall when I was a member of South Dublin County Council being involved in drafting a local area plan for Adamstown, which worked well. We assessed the area's needs, acquired a school site, developed the infrastructure in the area and everything worked beautifully. This method may not work properly everywhere but it has worked for me and Adamstown is a prime example of joined up thinking working on the ground. That must be the way forward and this is the Minister's concept for the future. Housing, education and community facilities must be considered together and that must be replicated throughout the State.

The information systems used by the building unit must be improved because this is a weakness. However, the Minister has put emphasis on opening up our thinking on how we link with the public at large. Her heart is in the right place and she wants to go in the same direction as us. The building unit must be upgraded and she will take note of the issues raised in the debate.