The Department of Education is negotiating with the Department of Finance to secure a five-year plan for the renovation and provision of facilities in primary and post-primary schools, the Dáil was told.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said that would mean the Minister would be better able to indicate to various schools "where we are going".
He added: "It is a very significant development plan. Clearly, it is not possible to wipe out, in the short term, the accumulative deficit of generations." Mr Ahern defended the Department of Education's school buildings' programme following yesterday's protests at various centres throughout the State, which were highlighted by Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF, Cavan/Monaghan).
Mr Ahern said the primary building programme in 1997 was €27 million .
"This year, although it is slightly less than last year, the school building programme amounts to €342.9 million." He added that the programme delivered this year would include 140 large-scale projects, which was significant.
A total of 430 primary and post-primary schools would, in addition, benefit in some way from the capital programme.
"An innovative feature of this year's programme is the introduction of a devolved building initiative for small rural primary schools, which the Minister hopes to extend next year." He said that the budget allocation for next year and subsequent years would determine the rate of progress on projects. "I know there are still some schools, and probably many schools, which still have to be dealt with."
Mr Ó Caoláin said that thousands of pupils, teachers and parents in hundreds of locations throughout the country were protesting at the "absolutely abysmal" state of school buildings.
Mr Ó Caoláin added that there were 289 primary schools and 85 secondary schools which were currently at the architectural planning stage without any indication if they would be allowed to move forward in the current or future years.
