Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 399: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if schools submitting applications for new buildings or renovations to existing school buildings are required to submit financial projections of the cost of the proposed projects to his Department when applying for funding under the school building programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19450/08]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 400: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if cost projections for individual school building projects are taken into consideration when considering the prioritisation and band designation of projects under the school building programme; the other specific criteria taken into consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19451/08]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 401: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the estimated capital cost of approving all outstanding applications on the school building programme assigned a project band of one to four, based on initial preliminary estimates of the cost of each individual project submitted to his Department by the applicant schools concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19452/08]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 402: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will provide a list of all schools on the schools building programme waiting list, categorised by designated band and project type, including those approved to proceed in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19453/08]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 429: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of schools within band one, band two, band three and band four on his list of applications for funding under the school building and modernisation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19753/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 399 to 402, inclusive, and 429 together.

Projects are usually activated by an application from the relevant school authority for capital works or on foot of the outcome of an Area Development Plan initiated by my Department. The estimated cost of a project cannot be easily determined at this initial stage. Generally before establishing the scope of such capital works, the viability and long term future of the school is verified through examination of existing data on pupil numbers at the school and in the general area and, in the case of post-primary schools, in the feeder primary schools within the catchment area. Consultation with patrons and other education providers in the general area and with Local Authorities and examination of local area development plans may also be required.

The scope of the works is established through visiting the school(s) involved and through preparation of technical reports by my Department's professional and technical staff. The priority rating of each major project is established in accordance with the Criteria for Prioritising Capital Projects which allocates each project to an appropriate priority band rating on the basis of objective criteria. Following a review of the criteria, undertaken in 2004 in consultation with the Education Partners, amended criteria were applied to all projects from 2005 onwards. In general the cost of a proposed project would have no bearing on its band rating.

It would not be realistic to try to estimate with any accuracy the potential cost of all building projects on hand in my Department. A variety of factors can affect the final cost of a project. Site size/conditions, demographic trends, technical assessment of the existing buildings etc., requirement for new buildings, extension to existing schools or refurbishment of existing schools will all affect the cost of the various projects, as will the trend in building costs in the broader economy. Ultimately it is only when a project has been tendered that an accurate cost becomes available.

Projects are assigned a band rating as follows:

Band 1

Band 1 projects address:

The needs of schools in rapidly developing areas.

The provision of specialist accommodation for special needs pupils.

Schools with structural issues.

Rationalisation projects.

Band 2

Band 2 addresses the needs of schools that have a deficit of mainstream accommodation and/or require refurbishment.

Band 3

Band 3 addresses the needs of schools that have no deficit of mainstream accommodation but that have a deficit of ancillary accommodation.

Band 4

Band 4 addresses the needs of schools that have desirable but not urgent needs.

When it is necessary to select projects from within the same band, as a general principle, projects will be selected on the basis of enrolment stability; projects that have been the longest period in the planning process and the most cost effective solution. In this regard, it should be noted that a project's banding, or classification, can be subject to reassessment having regard to demographic developments in the area served by the school and also, for example, if on foot of a technical examination of the school it was found that the proposed project put forward by the school was not an appropriate design solution to meet the accommodation requirements.

The number of school building projects categorised by band rating is as follows: Band 1: 330; Band 2: 800; Band 3: 244; Band 4: 54