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School Building Programme employing over 3,000 workers in the construction sector - Dooley

Posted on 03/07/09 by Timmy Dooley

 

Of the €614 million earmarked for schools this year, €352 million will be spent directly on new school buildings and refurbishments, with the remainder on sites and development levies, says Clare Fianna Fáil TD, Timmy Dooley, today.

 

 

"The target for this year for both primary and post-primary schools is 9,475 permanent places in new schools, 3,900 permanent school places in existing schools and refurbishments to benefit over 2,400 pupils.

 

"The announcements the Minister for Education has made so far in respect of large-scale projects moving to tender and construction will create over 30,000 school places.

 

"In May, the Minister announced that over 1,180 small and medium-scale building works will get under way in 967 primary and post-primary schools across the country this summer as part of an €80 million Government scheme," said Deputy Dooley.

 

Responding to a statement by Fine Gael Education spokesman, Brian Hayes, Mr Dooley said the Government is investing seven times more money in the school building programme today than Fine Gael when the party was last in Government.

 

"This Government will take no lectures from the Opposition on the school building programme.

 

"It’s worth pointing out too that the €352 million we spend on school building projects this year will sustain 3,265 direct construction jobs based on the labour market intensity principle that 9.3 is the average number of direct jobs created annually by €1 million of investment," he added.

 

ENDS

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