Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 434: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if schools whose building projects have been deferred in 2008 will be able to reuse the same building plans and documents that they included in their original application for a school extension when applying for funds in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44884/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I assume that the Deputy is referring to large scale building projects. Normally, a completed application form for major capital funding is not accompanied by any building plans or documents as these would only be developed once a design team is in place for a project.

Initially, a completed application form is assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria, assigned a band rating under these criteria and subsequently advanced through the school building programme consistent with the assigned band rating.

Following determination of a project brief, architectural planning commences for individual projects when funding is available to meet design team fees. It is at this stage that design documents are created.

A project brief with the attendant design solution generally remains the same until delivery of the project unless some change in the school's circumstances occurs which necessitates revision like, for example, a substantial increase or decrease in enrolments between application stage and delivery or the discovery of unforeseen site complications.

In the circumstances, once a school applies for large scale capital funding, it is not necessary for it to re-apply year on year as the original application remains valid until a project is delivered, if it is still deemed necessary, with any revisions needed to the design being made as a matter of course.

In the case of schools which have applied for funding under the Summer Works Scheme, as I have stated previously, the Professional and Technical reports provided by schools for 2008 can be used again for future projects so schools will not be at the loss of expenditure on them.