Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 399: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the locations of schools to be completed under public private partnership; when the schools are due to begin; when they will be opened; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18516/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In September 2005 I announced funding of €300 million for an Education PPP Programme comprising of 23 new post-primary schools and 4 new primary schools under a major expansion of the Government's Public Private Partnership Programme from 2006 to 2010.

Work commenced immediately on identifying the projects to go into bundles for procurement. The first bundle of schools announced in November 2005 comprises of Banagher College-Colaiste na Sionna, Gallen Community School, Ferbane, Scoil Chriost Ri, Portlaoise and St Mary's CBS, Portlaoise. 2,700 pupil places will be provided when these schools are completed. This bundle completed pre-procurement and was handed over to the National Development Finance Agency in September 2006. The NDFA, in consultation with my Department have responsibility for the procurement process. The pre-qualification of bidders was completed in December 2006 and three short-listed bidders were selected on 22nd December 2006. The Invitation to Tender issued on 15th March 2007 and completed tenders are to be returned on 13th July 2007.

I announced the 2nd bundle of primary/post-primary projects in November 2006 and pre procurement work is ongoing on this bundle. This bundle comprises Bantry Community College and Gaelscoil Bheanntrai, Co. Cork, Kildare Town Community School, Abbeyfeale Community College, Athboy Community School and Wicklow Town Community College. This bundle will provide in excess of 4,200 pupil places when completed. Work on this bundle including schedules of accommodation, outline planning permission and stakeholder consultation has already commenced and it is anticipated that it will be offered to the market in late 2007 subject to planning issues being completed.

It is anticipated that construction of bundle 1 will commence in late 2007 with a view to completion in early 2009, while construction of bundle 2 is likely to commence in 2008 with completion expected in early 2010. Sites are currently being identified for the remaining schools and subject to the availability of these sites I intend announcing additional primary/post primary bundles during the coming year which will complete this Education PPP Programme.

The Schools remaining in my Departments PPP programme are: