Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to the summer works scheme 2008 at the time of her suspension of applications that were already in progress and under the Department's rules it had been necessary, in order to apply for the funding at all, for schools to employ the appropriate professional consultants as advisors; the way she will reimburse the schools for these costs as if it had been known that her Department was not going to provide funding they would not have gone ahead with the consultations and many schools are not aware of the suspension of this scheme and will now find that they are left with bills for the consultations already carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9822/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's circular 0043/2007 regarding the Summer Works Scheme 2008 clearly outlines that the appointment of a consultant to prepare a Technical report must be met in full from a school's own resources. Such a report may be of benefit in the event of future applications for funding.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Summer Works Scheme was introduced in 2004. Since then, over 3,000 projects costing in excess of €300 million have been completed. Considerable investment has been provided in the Budget with almost €600 million this year for investment in school building infrastructure. With so many small projects having been completed over the past few years, I am focusing on delivering as many large scale projects as possible in 2008 with an emphasis on providing additional pupil places in developing areas. There is not, therefore, a new Summer Works Scheme as part of our building programme this year.