John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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245. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of the 2013 building projects that have been completed; if any of these projects were completed under budget; if he will consider making any of the unspent funds available to schools with delayed projects such as a school (details supplied) who are waiting to be added to a buildings programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7557/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that a total of 44 large-scale projects were completed in 2013. My Department's 2013 net capital expenditure of over €436m was almost €5m ahead of the original allocation for 2013.

The Major Building Project to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2b Detailed Design, which includes planning and other statutory permissions and the preparation of tender documentation.

Due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements it was not possible to include this project in the 5 year construction programme announced in March 2012. School building projects which were previously initiated but not included in the current five year construction programme will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to my Department in the future. The project at Gaelscoil Philib Barún remains available to be considered for progression in that context.