Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1392: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to ensure the maximum use of the top-class standard designs for primary schools that have been developed to deliver new buildings in the fastest timeframe possible. [47950/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Professional and Technical staff in my Department regularly reviews and updates the design of school buildings. A suite of technical guidance documents is available on my Department's website to assist design teams in best practice in the design and development of projects and to encourage the design team to take a complete design team approach from project conception.

My Department has developed Generic Repeat Designs to reduce the cost, speed up the delivery of new schools, particularly in developing areas, and to ensure that the most up to date technologies are used. Further design templates are being developed, using appropriate off site construction technologies, for repeatable buildings.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1393: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to prioritise energy efficiency and eco-design in new school buildings. [47951/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is at the forefront of design with respect to energy efficiency in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both national and international level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in Design and Specification.

The Department's Technical Guidance Documents which set the benchmark for low energy design in schools are clearly focused on energy efficiency and are based on solid energy research projects.

It has been demonstrated that all Primary Schools designed and built in line with the above policy and the technical guidance documents can have an energy performance that is 2.3 times more efficient than international best practice and nearly five times more efficient than schools built in the late 1980s.

My Department's policy is supported by a strong research programme with over thirty research projects at various stages currently in hand. A hybrid approach is taken with respect to low energy design in schools based on maximising natural resources and energy efficient technologies. Schools are positioned to maximise gain from the sun during the day for passive solar heating and natural daylight. Passive solar design saves 20% of the early morning heating period and adequate natural daylight when combined with automated lighting systems in the classrooms can eliminate the need for electrical light for up to 80% of the schools teaching hours.

Energy efficient boilers and individual room temperature controls combined with a strong emphasis on air tight testing and high insulation levels minimise heat requirements. Water usage is minimised through automatic shut off taps and dual flush toilets, while local water blending valves are provided to prevent scalding and rain water recovery is provided.

My Department is currently conducting a demonstration and research project to evaluate the suitable application and performance and compatibility of biomass systems with school heating requirements in terms of heating demand characteristics, controls, reliability, fuel storage and maintenance and operation.

This project comprises the design, installation and monitoring of Biomass heating systems in Primary and Post Primary Schools. Fifteen boiler systems are presently installed. The project also includes the development of a good practice guide for the design and installation of biomass heating systems in schools specifically aimed at school design teams and managers and will lead to the development of a suite of case studies on the selected projects.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1394: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to promote and support the use of school facilities by community groups and other appropriate services and design new schools in order to facilitate multi-use. [47952/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The primary responsibility of my Department in this area is the provision of school facilities for the effective delivery of the curriculum. In addition, school authorities have a considerable degree of autonomy in relation to how their premises are managed and utilised at local level.

However, the Government recognises that there is a lack of recreational facilities for community use in certain areas which could be met if school premises were made available to the wider community. To encourage schools in this respect, my Department issued a circular to all school authorities in late 2005 urging trustees and Boards of Management to make their facilities available, where possible, for community education and recreation purposes. Decisions in relation to the use of school facilities remain entirely at the discretion of the school authorities, subject to the condition that the needs of the students attending the school are prioritised in the first instance. It is also important that schools should ensure that insurance and security are covered as it is unlikely that the school's insurance policy would cover non-school activities or that a caretaker would be routinely available to open/lock up premises.

My Department has also progressed a number of school building projects within the Fingal and Adamstown areas of Dublin with local authorities/developers to produce an integrated solution to education and community facilities that matches the delivery of new housing. In respect of PPP schools, the contract arrangements provide for school facilities to be available for community use when not required by the school.

My Department's position generally is that the availability of such facilities should be self-funding i.e. adequate to cover the heat/light/caretaking arrangements as well as making some contribution to the repair of wear and tear on premises caused by increased use.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1395: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to abolish the local contribution to building projects and to the rental of accommodation. [47953/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware the programme for Government commits my Department to abolish the local contribution to building projects and to the rental of accommodation. This matter is currently under consideration in my Department.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1396: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to increase the minor works grant 1599 to improve funding to schools to maintain their buildings in good condition. [47954/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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In November 2006 the funding for the minor works grant was increased by 44% on the previous year. Around €27m was paid out that year and a similar amount for the 2007/8 and 2008/9 school years to primary schools throughout the country to enable thousands of small scale works to be completed without the need to interact with my Department. Individual primary schools received a grant in the sum of €5,500 plus €18.50 per pupil.

The level of grant to be paid under the grant scheme for the 2009/2010 school year will be considered in the context of available funding.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1397: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to ensure where the State builds a new school on land which it owns, the building will be in the ownership of his Department. [47955/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the programme for Government commits my Department to ensuring that where the State builds a new school on land which it owns, the building will be in the ownership of the Department of Education.

Those sites that are acquired by my Department for the purposes of providing permanent accommodation for schools are generally green-field sites and the school buildings provided thereon remain in the ownership of the Minister or the relevant VEC. In the case of PPP projects the Minister for Education and Science also retains ownership of both the site and school building.