Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on whether ongoing confrontation with the teachers' unions is beneficial to the interests of the educational system, parents, teachers or pupils; if he will consider working with all interested parties to deliver an improved educational system in better quality buildings with a higher degree of ancillary services and with the objective of giving each child a better education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9741/04]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I do not accept that there is ongoing confrontation with the teacher unions. Both my officials and I continue to engage with the teacher unions in a meaningful way on all matters relating to the education system.

Consultation with all the education partners is crucial to the ongoing development of our education system. In that regard I launched Your Education System a process of national consultation on Irish education. The aim of the process is to encourage the widest possible debate-discussion on the future of Irish education. The process will last for this year. At the end of the process it should be possible to identify and document shared themes-issues and concerns, which can then be used in planning the policies that will shape our education system going into the future.

In relation to school buildings, the school building programme for 2004 that is published on my Department's website represents a further major step in progressing the Government's consistent commitment since 1997 to deal with school accommodation needs. The total allocation for school buildings in 2004 is €387 million, which enables in excess of 200 projects to go to construction during 2004 providing new school buildings, extensions to and-or refurbishment of, existing school buildings; accommodation for children with special needs as well as many more smaller scale projects such as access for all; roof replacements, mechanical and electrical improvements. I have also extended the small and rural and the permanent accommodation initiatives and I have put in place a new devolved summer works scheme.