Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 368: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in areas of high population where the demand for school placement is such that her Department is planning or proposing to build new schools she has considered applications by developers tor turnkey school buildings in such instances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8057/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department will consider proposals from developers with a view to shortening construction times and achieving better value for money. My Department has identified a number of rapidly developing areas where additional primary schools will be required to meet demand for school places in September 2008.

A tender process has taken place for a drawdown contract facility that will be used to provide additional school places in the rapidly developing areas for 2008 and onwards. This drawdown contract facility is aimed at providing school accommodation in very short timescales using modern methodologies such as off-site construction.

This method of building procurement, teamed with close co-operation with the relevant local authorities, will help ensure that additional school places are provided in the developing areas within the earliest possible timeframes. These strategies are underpinned by a budget of €4.5 billion over the lifetime of the National Development Plan.