Written answers

Tuesday, 18 May 2004

Department of Education and Science

Schools Building Projects

9:00 pm

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will prioritise in a proactive way pre-school and primary school education by fulfilling his commitment to have properly resourced and refurbished school buildings in place. [14252/04]

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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In fulfilment of my Department's commitment to tackle substandard school accommodation the level of capital investment in schools over the lifetime of this Government has progressively increased since 1998 to a total of almost €2 billion, the largest investment programme in the history of the State.

The position in relation to any school or category of school, including schools that may be participating in such as the early start programme, is that their needs must be processed as part of the overall programme and must be assessed individually within the published prioritisation criteria.

As the Deputy will be aware this year my Department's school building programme of €388 million will deliver in excess of 260 significant school building projects at primary and post-primary level. In excess of 200 of these projects will commence on site in the current year, the remaining projects had commenced in previous years and are currently nearing completion. Furthermore, approximately an additional 600 schools will benefit in some way from the capital programme directly by means of temporary accommodation, permanent accommodation and/or improvement works and all primary schools will benefit directly from the devolved grants scheme for minor works.

The challenge facing my Department is how to ensure the State gets best return on investment in educational infrastructure. New ways such as the devolved building initiative for small rural schools and the permanent accommodation initiative, both initiated in 2003 and expanded this year, show the Department's commitment to finding innovative and flexible solutions to the difficulties faced by schools seeking to refurbish their buildings or to provide additional accommodation quickly. These schemes fund schools to respond quickly to accommodation difficulties. There is minimal interaction with my Department and schools are fully empowered to drive the design and construction process. I fully expect that these initiatives will inform future policy.

My Department has never underestimated the scale of the task and the level of capital funding and other resources required to rectify decades of under-investment in school infrastructure. The announcement in the last budget in relation to a multiannual capital envelope will greatly assist my Department in addressing school accommodation needs in a programmed and systematic way.

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