Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am happy to respond on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science who, unfortunately, cannot be present. I should declare a vested interest in the matter in that two of my children attend the school in question. I thank Senator Ryan for raising this matter, as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the Seanad the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and the current position regarding St. Oliver Plunkett national school, Malahide, County Dublin, roll No. 17914S. Modernising facilities in the existing building stock and responding to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth present significant challenges. The Government has shown a consistent determination to improve the condition of school buildings and to ensure the appropriate facilities are in place to enable implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum.

All applications for capital funding are assessed in the planning and building unit of the Department. The assessment process determines the extent and type of need based on the demographics of an area, proposed housing developments, condition of buildings and site capacity. As part of this process, a project is assigned a band rating under published prioritisation criteria for large-scale building projects which were devised following consultation with the education partners. The original criteria were revised and refined in 2004. Projects are selected for inclusion in the schools building and modernisation programme on the basis of priority of need, as reflected in the band rating assigned to a project. In other words, a proposed building project moves through the system commensurate with the band rating assigned to it. The building project for St. Oliver Plunkett national school has been assigned a band 2.2 rating. The project is currently at an early stage of architectural planning.

With regard to the Senator's concerns regarding the buy-out of temporary accommodation units at the school, I can assure the Senator that this is part of a wider strategy adopted by the Department to achieve best value for money and to reduce overall rental costs for schools in general.

The Department's review of the provision of temporary accommodation in schools is well underway. One aspect of the review involves the development of standard specifications for temporary accommodation, the development of new contractual terms to incorporate buy-out and relocation options to cater for individual local circumstances and appropriately protect the interests of the Department and school authorities.

A further strand involves negotiations with prefab suppliers to buy out existing rental contracts or reductions in annual rent, as appropriate. An initial group of 46 schools with rented prefabricated accommodation has been identified for priority negotiations with suppliers to buy out existing rental contracts. A number of these prefabs have now been bought out, including the prefabs at St. Oliver Plunkett's, and negotiations are ongoing with a view to ending rental contracts for as many schools as possible in 2010.

The chartered surveyors engaged by the Department to assist in this process carried out a site visit at this school on 26 June 2009 and provided the Department with a report confirming that the units are in good condition and well maintained. On 9 December 2009, the school authorities were informed that the Department had decided to purchase the 13 temporary accommodation units at the school and that this initiative was undertaken to achieve better value for money.

It is important to point out to the Senator that the school authority was also advised that this change in the funding arrangement for its temporary accommodation would not affect any application the school may have for permanent accommodation under the school building and modernisation programme. The brief for the current project is to provide accommodation on the current school site for a long-term projected staffing of a principal plus 32 mainstream teachers plus ancillary staff. Representatives from the board of management have been invited to meet with Department officials to discuss the current school building project and their current proposals in this regard.

The progression of all large-scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction, is dependent on the prioritisation of competing demands on the funding available under the Department's capital budget.

The proposed building project will be considered in the context of the Department's multi-annual school building and modernisation programme for 2010 and subsequent years. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of the Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the delivery of the project at this time.

I thank the Senator again for giving me the opportunity to outline to the Seanad the current position regarding the school building project for St. Oliver Plunkett national school, Malahide, County Dublin.