Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 651: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the input a parents association are invited to make in the design of the new public private partnership schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27355/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Public Private Partnerships differ from traditional procurement in that substantial risk is transferred to the private sector in the areas of design, construction, operation and maintenance of the projects generally over a twenty-five year contract period. In order to achieve value for money under PPP it is necessary to bundle a number of schools into a single project that is offered to the private sector usually on a design, build, finance and operate basis. Although each individual design in any school bundle will vary due to the specific site context, my Department's primary aim is and stated requirement to bidders is to provide the quality and character of environment appropriate to the educational aims, philosophy and the ethos of each school.

Before procurement begins the Department enters into a Stakeholder consultation process that includes management, teaching and ancillary staff, students, parents and other local interested parties to explain in detail the PPP process and its objectives.