PRICES FOR school building projects are up to 20 per cent less than before the economic crisis, according to Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe.
The school building budget for 2009 at €581 million is €5 million less than 2008, but Mr O'Keeffe said: "I insisted that re-tendering take place in order for us to get value for money."
The Minister said: "I am getting back tenders that are 15 per cent and 20 per cent less than they were when previously."
While next year's budget is down by €5 million, the Minister "will get more value and deliver more projects on the basis of the competitive tenders".
Mr O'Keeffe said the allocation for 2009 will allow the department to complete 26 major projects and begin another 62 major projects. 100 smaller projects will be completed. Another 80 projects will progress to completion, with funding also going to annual minor works grants, site purchases and emergency works.
Fine Gael education spokesman Brian Hayes called for the Minister to revert to a measure by former minister for education Noel Dempsey, who had "a very accountable and transparent initiative where schools knew exactly where they stood on the list".
Instead, they had to wait "for the wink and nod which comes from the local Fianna Fáil deputy and which eventually comes through the Minister,"he said.
