Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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Since 1998 almost €2 billion has been invested in the school building programme at primary and post-primary level, the largest investment programme in the history of the State. This is a significant amount of investment. This level of investment will need to be maintained if the goal of eliminating sub-standard accommodation is to be achieved.

The 2004 school building programme, which I published last December, is a further major step in progressing this Government's consistent commitment since 1997 to deal with school accommodation needs. The programme is designed to give the maximum amount of information to managers, boards of management, principals, parents and students and to give assurance that the building programme is being operated in an open and transparent manner.

The level of capital funding being provided at primary and post-primary level in 2004 amounts to €388 million; in excess of €200 million of this will be targeted at primary level projects. The programme details in excess of 260 significant school building projects that are being authorised to proceed to tender and construction in 2004, including the completion of major projects commenced before 2004.

Funding has also been provided in the 2004 programme to allow for a major expansion of the sites acquisition programme, at a cost of €32 million, the continuation of the asbestos and radon remediation programmes, €17 million, and the provision of temporary accommodation. Payment will be made to all schools of the devolved grant of €3,809 and €12.70 per pupil. This will cost in the region of €19 million.

A key part of my strategy going forward will be grounded on the budget day announcement of multiannual allocations for capital investment in education projects covering the years 2004 to 2008. All projects that are not going to construction as part of the 2004 school building programme are being reviewed with a view to including them as part of a multiannual building programme from 2005 onwards. I expect to be in a position to make a further announcement on this matter during 2004.

An innovative feature of the 2004 programme is the introduction of a new initiative for capital grants for smaller scale improvement works for both primary and post-primary schools. The new initiative, known as the summer works scheme, is designed to fund smaller scale works to those schools that are most in need of resources. An advantage of this scheme is that successful applicants were informed by early March, if their projects would receive funding, allowing them to plan and carry out works during the summer months. A total of €31 million was set aside for projects included in the summer works scheme and in excess of 450 schools have been given sanction to carry out building works in summer 2004 under this scheme.

Since I became Minister for Education and Science I have been anxious to give school authorities as much power as possible in managing their own building programmes. In 2003 I introduced two pilot schemes to allow small primary schools to undertake building and modernisation works on a devolved basis; this new scheme is another example of that approach. This approach is being continued in 2004.

The Government remains committed to continuing the work that it has started and to consolidating the substantial progress that has already been made in order to ensure that the needs of schools throughout the country are met over time. The process of investment in educational infrastructure begun by the previous Government will be continued, as outlined in An Agreed Programme for Government.