Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 167: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his plans to locate and construct a new school building for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 22 in view of the condition of the existing facilities and the fact that tender prices have decreased in the past 18 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13604/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, it is my Department's intention to provide the school in question with a new building. In this regard, agreement has been reached to provide the new building on a VEC-owned site. As the Deputy will also be aware, in February 2009, I announced details of 43 major building projects to proceed to tender and construction and 25 high priority projects to commence architectural planning. The project to which the Deputy refers was not included in this announcement for the commencement of architectural planning. Therefore, it is unlikely that it will be progressed in 2009.

The progression of all large scale building projects, including the project in question, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of the Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 168: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the status of a primary school building project (details supplied) in County Roscommon; when he expects the tenders to be signed and construction to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13605/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The school to which the Deputy refers is one of 10 projects announced in January to be re-tendered with a view to going to construction as soon as possible. For this project to go to construction it needs to be re-tendered under the new Department of Finance form of contract for public capital projects. My Department has been in contact with the school authority in this regard.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 169: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the status of a post-primary school building project (details supplied) in County Roscommon; when he expects the tenders to be signed and construction to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13606/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that the school to which he refers was included in my announcement on 12 February of forty three major school building projects which are to progress to tender and construction this year. Representatives from the board of management and the school's design team attended a briefing in my Department's offices in Tullamore on the 5 March at which they were appraised of the next steps necessary to progress this project to tender and construction.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the status of a post-primary school building project (details supplied) in County Westmeath; when he expects the tenders to be signed and construction to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13607/09]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 171: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the status of a post-primary school building project (details supplied) in County Leitrim; when he expects the tenders to be signed and construction to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13608/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 170 and 171 together.

The two post primary school projects at the locations in Counties Leitrim and Westmeath referred to by the Deputy are included in the list of seven schools which I have approved for inclusion in the 3rd Bundle of schools to be procured via Public Private Partnership. This bundle is in the pre-procurement stage and my Department has completed a round of stakeholders' meetings in each of the locations where PPP schools are to be provided. A detailed output specification and Public Sector Benchmark will be prepared and outline planning permission will be sought for each location. On successful completion of this process, the Bundle will be handed over to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for procurement. A contract cannot be awarded until the procurement process has been successfully completed. The indicative timeframe for the delivery of a PPP school currently stands at approximately 4 years from the date the Bundle is announced.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 172: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason only 30% of his capital budget for 2009 has been committed to school building projects at this point in view of the number of building projects awaiting sanction; if he will provide assurances that the remaining €626 million will not be sacrificed; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that all other Departments have committed 80% of their capital allocations. [13619/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has a rolling programme of school building and modernisation projects. As is usual with the school building programme, not all of the funds will be contractually committed at the outset of the year, as contracts are only signed with contractors when projects are ready to go on site. However, substantial funding, not strictly defined as contractual commitments at this stage, will be required during 2009 for items of capital expenditure such as the Summer Works Scheme, the Minor Works Grant, the acquisition of sites and major projects yet to go on site.

Preparation work such as securing planning permission and the completion of a tender process must be carried out before contracts for school building projects are signed. This work is ongoing in my Department and as the necessary preparatory work is satisfactorily finalised, contracts will be signed and projects will commence construction in accordance with the school building programme.