Christy O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 447: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when the summer work schemes for national schools will recommence. [9221/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the Summer Works Scheme was introduced in 2004. Since then, over 3,000 projects in primary and post-primary schools costing in excess of €300 million have been completed. With so many smaller projects having been completed over the past few years, I intend to focus on delivering as many large projects as possible in 2008. The emphasis will be on new schools, extensions and major refurbishments, rather than on smaller projects. There will not, therefore, be a new Summer Works Scheme as part of the building programme this year.

The question of reintroducing the Summer Works Scheme will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme from 2009 onwards.