Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 467: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which the objectives set in the school building programme in respect of primary and second level schools in County Kildare are likely to be met in the current year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13432/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I have now announced the first phases of the 2005 schools building and modernisation programme. The details are 122 major school building projects countrywide, including 89 primary school projects, which will prepare tenders and move to construction during the next 12 to 15 months, an additional 171 in the number of primary schools that will be invited to deliver their building projects on the basis of devolved funding, 43 schools, of which 32 are primary schools, that will be authorised to commence architectural planning, 590 schools approved for funding under the 2005 summer works scheme, of which over 360 are primary schools, and 124 schools, of which 73 are primary schools, whose projects will further progress through the design process.

In addition to the above, approximately €18 million in respect of all primary schools will be issued under the devolved grant to enable schools to carry out minor works. Each primary school gets a standard rate of €3,809 together with a per pupil rate of €12.70. I plan to make a further announcement in the coming period on the 2005 schools building and modernisation programme that will include details of projects identified as suitable for construction under public private partnerships.

Officials from my Department will be working with all the schools on the above lists, including those in County Kildare, to ensure that the objectives in the 2005 programme are met.