'Queue-jumping' for school works to be ended

The Taoiseach has accepted that there should be an end to "political queue jumping" for school refurbishment.

"Projects should be listed and dealt with on the basis of priority," Mr Ahern said. But he accused the Opposition of trying to claim credit for schools at election time, when they had spent nothing while in Government.

In a row over school refurbishments promised at the election being postponed because of cutbacks, Mr Ahern told the Dáil that the Government was spending €173 million on schools.

The Opposition had been trying to claim the credit "because they spent nothing when in Government". The Taoiseach said: "Let's be honest about it, that is what they are upset about . . ."

The Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said there was "blatant queue-jumping" for school refurbishment.

He quoted the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, who said that some schools were only on a list for refurbishment "arising from political pressure".

Mr Dempsey had been interviewed in The Irish Times in a story about some 400 primary school refurbishments being put on hold because of cutbacks.

A list of rundown schools badly in need of refurbishment was published in April and the impression was given that these schools would be dealt with, said the Labour leader.

This impression was added to by the hawking around constituencies by Government candidates, Fianna Fáil deputies and Ministers on many occasions of letters which promised that local schools were on the list and would be all right on the night, said Mr Rabbitte.

He asked why there wasn't a five-year plan for schools "some or which are in poor condition while others are advantaged because there is a Minister in the constituency".

Mr Rabbitte said that the 400 schools affected included some schools on a union "blacklist" because they were unfit for teaching.

Schools neglected for years "were used as a blatant political issue. In my constituency, Fianna Fáil party candidates put letters into every house saying that X and Y schools had been approved. It was a lie because they were not improved but that was the impression given," said Mr Rabbitte.

The Taoiseach said the blacklist "has been fairly well eliminated and every project has been dealt with".

He said €173 million, was being spent compared to €38 million when the Opposition was in power and in a position to do something.

When Mr Emmet Stagg (Lab, Kildare North) said the Government was telling lies in May at election time about school refurbishments, the Taoiseach said that what was happening at the last election, particularly in Kildare, was that Deputy Stagg and other Opposition TDs were "going around trying to say that it was not really Government deputies who had produced all these schools, that they had some part in them".

Mr Ahern added that the Minister was setting out a five-year plan, where all projects at all levels would be set out in detail.

"People will be able to see exactly at what stage a project is and then perhaps deputies will stop raising the issue on the Adjournment (of the Dáil) and tabling parliamentary questions, because it will be quite clear".

When he was heckled again by the Opposition, the Taoiseach said the deputies were doing what their leader was trying to prevent.

Mr Rabbitte was "calling for an end to political queue jumping and I agree with him. Projects should be listed and dealt with on the basis of priority."

That meant, said Mr Ahern, that "deputies will have to stop saying they convinced the Minister to do something and circulating replies."