Dempsey unveils €387m school building scheme

More than 170 projects have been listed in the School Building Programme for 2004 but critics say a number of schools in the State will remain in an unacceptable state of disrepair.

Announcing details of the scheme, the Minister for Education, Mr Noel Dempsey, said
the schools listed in section 1 and 2 categories which represented those most in need would proceed to construction in 2004

The package represents a spend of €387 million by the Government, a €190 million has been allocated for new school buildings, extensions refurbishments in the primary sector with €167 million for post-primary school buildings.

Mr Dempsey, said the programme did not take account an extra €30 million allocated by the Minister of Finance on Budget Day.

He said: "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 multi-annual building programme from 2005 onwards."

Minister Dempsey said it was "another significant step in delivering on the Government's commitment to provide improved primary and second level school accommodation countrywide."

While the announcement was broadly welcomed there was also considerable criticism.

Mr Pat Cahill, president of the secondary schools union, ASTI, said the programme was "a missed opportunity".

"The amount allocated for construction projects at second level is simply inadequate to meet the current needs and the pressures that exist for high quality school accommodation and basic facilities such as PE halls," he said.

Labour Party spokeswoman on education Ms Jan O'Sullivan criticised what she described as "government spin that they are building new schools and improving conditions in schools in their constituencies".

"The reality for children, staff and parents across the country is very different," Ms O'Sullivan claimed. "Many post-primary schools are in a deplorable state and require immediate repairs."

Mr Olwyn Enright TD, Fine Gael education and science spokeswoman, described the programme as "only a drop in the ocean" when compared with the number of schools in need of help.

"Today is a day of great disappointment for the large number of dilapidated schools that still won't proceed to construction next year, and must now wait until 2005 or later for any news," she said.

The Green Party's Mr Paul Gogarty, while paying credit to Mr Dempsey for addressing the "chaotic situation" in schools, dismissed the funding available for as insufficient and demanded more investment.

"We are talking about footsteps here, not the giant leaps that are needed to catch up on all those years of neglect," he said. "This does not bode well for the education of many pupils in the coming years."