Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 13: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the proportion of the capital budget which remains unspent for 2010; if she will list the schools that were due to avail of this funding for capital projects but have not been able to proceed; the cost and location of each project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47615/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The total capital available to my Department in the current year amounts to just over €785m. At the end of November close to €645m of this sum had been expended. To date in December a further €105m has been spent and this leaves a balance of just €35m to be spent over the remainder of the month.

The substantial reduction in construction prices in recent times has meant that my Department is now achieving significantly better value for taxpayers' money. In this regard, contract prices are now running at up to 40% lower than prices that prevailed during the boom period. As a result savings that accrue to the school building programme are available for use on other priority demands within my Department's capital programme critically in the current year ICT infrastructure and the higher education sector.

There are further matters occurring within the construction sector generally that are having an impact on spending on schools infrastructure. These include difficulties and delays being experienced by contractors in securing a bond. Possession of a bond is a prerequisite to awarding a contract. Additionally, there are third party planning appeals to some projects that inevitably contribute to delays in completing design work and progressing these projects to tender.

These issues notwithstanding, the Deputy can be assured that there are large scale building projects for 151 first and second level schools listed on my Department's website as progressing to construction, on site or completed in 2010. I will forward to the Deputy up to date details in respect of each of these projects. While all of these projects have been and will continue to be progressed through tender and construction the issues which I have outlined above result in previously anticipated spending targets not materialising in the current 2010. However these savings arising on the schools programme are available for expending on other priority capital areas of my Department. In this regard, I have been able to approve additional funding for ICT equipment in schools in the current year with funding also being channelled to our country's universities and institutes of technology to enable them continue to accommodate an expanding student cohort.

At the Education Committee two weeks ago, I also referred to over 200 devolved grants to the value of €30m that have been approved for schools, but where over six months later, the school authority has not made any claim to draw down the funding. I will also forward the Deputy the list of the schools and projects involved.