Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Mary Coughlan. I thank the Senator for raising it because it gives me an opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects, including investment in furniture and equipment in primary and post-primary schools and, in particular, the Department's requirements in respect of the specifications and standards which must be met with regard to the supply of furniture and equipment to all schools.

Modernising facilities, including furniture and equipment, in our existing building stock as well as the requirement to respond to emerging needs in areas of rapid population growth is a significant challenge. 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 the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum.

In 2009 the Department spent in excess of €17.7 million on the provision of furniture and equipment in primary and post-primary schools. This investment was used to provide furniture and equipment in new schools and classrooms that opened during 2009 and also to provide replacement furniture and equipment in existing schools and classrooms. To date in 2010, the Department has paid out grants totalling in excess of €8.1 million in respect of furniture and equipment.

The general position is that where the provision of school furniture and equipment is being grant aided by the Department, all furniture and equipment supplied must comply with the Department's specifications. A copy of these specifications is available on the Department's website. The specifications to which I refer state that all furniture must be durable and safe for school use and must comply fully with the specifications as set out by the Department, all furniture must comply fully with European -EN - standards, both established and developing, all furniture being proposed by suppliers must be accompanied by documentation of sufficient detail to allow for full evaluation by schools, and any supply must include a completed and signed certificate of compliance with all relevant standards. The Department's specifications for chairs require that they should conform to the Irish and European standard, which is IS EN 1729 - furniture, tables and chairs for educational institutions. This is a recent standard dating from 2006 and it would not be appropriate to use a specification in conflict with it.

Before placing contracts for school furniture, it is open to school management authorities to request furniture suppliers to submit prototypes or samples of proposed furniture to the National Standards Authority of Ireland for performance testing. Schools are advised that the workmanship, finish, etc. must in all cases be equal to the standard of the prototypes or samples provided for testing and all furniture not manufactured strictly in accordance with this condition is to be rejected. Schools are also advised, in the Department's furniture specifications, that careful consideration should be given at the time of ordering to the size range of furniture required. With regard to chairs and tables, there are eight different size marks, 0-7, which are colour coded, as defined in IS EN 1729. Broadly speaking the furniture size required by a student is related to his or her stature, with perhaps the most appropriate parameter being the popliteal height. For someone seated, this is the distance from the underside of the foot to the underside of the thigh at the knee.

The health and safety of pupils is in the first instance a matter for each board of management. This includes ensuring school furniture, including school chairs, complies with the Department's specification as well as the appropriate Irish and European standards. School management authorities are advised to carry out regular health and safety audits of their school buildings, including the furniture and equipment they contain. Where items are found not to be in compliance with Department specifications or health and safety guidelines, it is open to school authorities to apply for funding to replace these items.

I again thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to outline the current position regarding supply of furniture and equipment to schools.