20 February, 2006 - Minister Hanafin gives go ahead for 15 major school building projects

New post primary schools in Kildare and Limerick

Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin, T.D., today announced details of nine primary schools and six post primary schools that have been approved to move major building projects to tender and construction stage. 

Outlining details of the schools, Minister Hanafin said “two new post primary school buildings, one in Kildare and one in Limerick are among the major post primary projects being approved to move to tender and subsequently to construction.”

Indicating that this was one in a series of announcements progressing school building works throughout the country Minister Hanafin said “these 15 projects are in a position to go to tender and construction  now. In the near future I will be outlining details of up to 50 other projects already in architectural planning which I expect will   proceed to tender and construction over the next 12-15 months. The fact is that this year we are spending almost €500m on building projects in schools around the country.

The revised multi-annual funding announced last year means we can have a regular flow of projects and move away from the previous stop/start approach to planning the building programme.”

Today’s announcement is the third made since January outlining projects approved under the School Building and Modernisation programme.  In January, 62 schools were approved to appoint architectural design teams. In the past few weeks 740 schools were approved to carry our works under this year’s Summer Works Scheme at a cost of €78m. 

Minister Hanafin also announced today that an additional school has been included on the list of schools approved to appoint architectural design teams saying “to provide accommodation to cater for children with specific special needs the Department of Education and Science has also given approval to a primary school in Clare to begin architectural planning and design work.”

Minister Hanafin also indicated that very shortly she will be outlining details of increased numbers of primary schools set to benefit under the Small Schools Scheme.

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