Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 631: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when the value for money review of first and second level building programmes will be complete; the value of the anticipated savings to the Exchequer due to the implementation of this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26671/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative is part of a framework introduced to secure improved value for money from public expenditure. The objectives of the Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative are to analyse Exchequer spending in a systematic manner and to provide a basis on which more informed decisions can be made on priorities within and between programmes. It is one of a range of modernisation initiatives aimed at moving public sector management away from the traditional focus on inputs to concentrate on the achievement of results.

Value for Money Reviews are undertaken under the aegis of steering committees which are representative of the Departments/Offices managing the programmes/areas being reviewed.

In the early 2000's my Department's Planning and Building Unit revised the manner in which the School Capital Programme was delivered and concluded that it was necessary to introduce a mechanism that would increase the deliverable infrastructures in a speedy, cost effective and qualitative manner to ensure improved educational facilities nationally. The Small Schools Initiative and the Permanent Accommodation Initiative were introduced on a pilot basis in the School Capital Programme 2003. Both of the initiatives were the subject of an expenditure review based on the 2003 programme. The review concluded that the initiatives' objectives were satisfactorily achieved. These included: the schools involved have better school facilities and/or additional school accommodation; the introduction of these initiatives ensured that the Department was in a position to address the higher priority banded projects through the traditional method of architectural design in the knowledge that 40 additional schools were progressing to construction within a timeframe of 12 months with no hands-on requirement from my officials; a higher output was achieved, as none of the schools in the SSI would have progressed to construction in 2003 if the initiatives were not put in place; a high level of quality was obtained in relation to the projects progressed through the introduction of the PAI; the majority of the building projects proceeded to site and construction within the 12 months timeframe as dictated in the guidelines of each initiative; the majority of the building works completed were of good quality and deemed to provide VFM; School Management Authorities (SMAs), on average, were happy with their own abilities to progress their own building projects. 81% of SMAs would recommend acceptance of the devolved initiatives again 100% were satisfied with the educational impact achieved, 97% were satisfied with the programme of delivery and 93% satisfied with the autonomy Role of SMA; Compliance with public procurement was achieved in relation to the tendering process for building Contractors.

The devolved Summer Works Scheme was introduced in 2004. The value for money review of the primary and post-primary summer works scheme is not due to be officially completed until late 2008 and consequently any outcomes will not be known for some time.