Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 290: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his plans to ensure that all schools constructed under public private partnerships in the future will be of the full-build type rather than pre-constructed units as a means of generating employment; if building workers based here will be used in their construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2514/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is responsible for all aspects of the assessment and approval of schools including the decision to procure schools via Public Private Partnership (PPP). This included the setting of project budgets, the development of output specifications in accordance with Department guidelines and other service requirements and agreeing the Public Sector Benchmark (compiled with the assistance of the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA)).

Once my Department has carried out these functions, the project bundle is handed over to the NDFA for procurement. All Education PPP projects are offered to the market by the NDFA in accordance with EU and National procurement guidelines and are advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), Government e-tenders website and in the National Media. It is then open to all developers and building contractors wishing to participate to submit an expression of interest to the NDFA for any particular PPP project either independently or as part of a consortium.

When the shortlisted bidders are selected (usually 3 bidders) they are required to design and deliver schools that meet the Department's requirements as outlined in the output specifications and the proposed designs are evaluated by my Department and NDFA to ensure they are in accordance with the Department's building guidelines for new schools.