Written answers

Wednesday, 29 April 2009

Department of Education and Science

Schools Building Projects

9:00 pm

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 229: To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 726 of 22 April 2009, the number of school projects with details of each school, location and roll number, which will not proceed due to the €30 million reduction in the school building programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16881/09]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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A reduction of €30m in the capital allocation in respect of the primary and post primary sectors was a feature of the supplementary budget delivered on 7 April 2009. The allocation now in place for the 2009 school capital programme is €613.8m and this amount is almost 5% greater than the allocation available at the beginning of the 2008 financial year.

The Deputy is no doubt aware that there are many sub-programmes within the School Building and Modernisation Programme such as large scale projects, the acquisition of sites, the summer works scheme, the primary schools minor works grant and others. The level of complexity in delivering the sub-programmes varies greatly — the allocation of the minor works grant which costs almost €30m annually is a relatively straightforward process whereas the delivery of large scale projects from inception to project conclusion has many stages to complete over a period of up to three years. The pace at which individual projects proceed and the pace of expenditure can vary across the different areas, therefore it is difficult to forecast the particular impact of the adjustment at individual project level at this stage of the year.

In that context the reduction of €30m will be applied to the large scale projects but the impact as I outlined in my reply on 22 April will be mitigated due primarily to the expected very keen tender prices available in the current construction market. As I stated after the recent supplementary budget I expect that all school building projects I've already announced to go to tender will proceed this year and that the more competitive environment in the construction sector will enable me to maximise the return I get for the Government's capital investment in education.

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