The Unions representing administrative and professional staff in the planning and building unit of the Department of Education and Science have expressed "dismay" at the timing of the Minister's recent announcement of improved State funding for school sites and buildings.

In a statement, they say they "very much regret" that their concerns about the level of preplanning and resources required to implement these changes were not addressed before the announcement by the Minister, Micheal Martin.

The CPSU, the PSEU and IMPACT say the Department had been advised that implementation of the initiative was "beyond the current work capacity" of its planning and building unit. "Over the past four years, the capital allocation for first- and second-level building projects has almost doubled, while the staffing levels of the unit have remained unchanged."

The unions say that their understanding was that these issues would be worked out before the new arrangements were launched. They were, therefore, particularly surprised that the Minister had announced that the new measure would "come into effect immediately."

They advise schools that, "while our members in the Department are fully committed to this measure, they cannot see how it can be implemented until its implications have been worked out and resource issues fully addressed."