The opposition party has accused the Government's School Building Programme of being "chaotic" after huge surpluses were revealed today.

It emerged this morning that the Department of Education had yet to spend almost half of its 2009 budget for new school buildings and other capital projects despite assertions by the Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe he would create 30,000 school places in primary and secondary schools.

Figures show the Department has spent just €455m so far this year, even though last year's budget increased the capital allocation to Education to a record €841m.

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Fine Gael Education Spokesman, Brian Hayes TD said the fact that the Department of Education has yet to spend almost half of its 2009 Budget further highlights the chaos of the School Building Programme.

"With three months to go and with such a significant amount of capital expenditure to be spent, the Department needs to clarify their strategy for delivering the School Building Programme," Mr Hayes said.

He added: "Historically, moneys not spent in one year can go back in the Estimates Programme. It would be a scandal if this money was lost to education because it hasn't been spent. What’s needed is a multi-annual building programme divorced from the party political considerations of the Minister for Education."

The Opposition spokesman went on to say that it was ridiculous that €50 million was spent renting prefabs this year while moneys allocated for capital projects went unspent.

The Department of Education said during an interview this morning that the shortfall was due to savings made in the cost of projects and that many bills have yet to come in.

(DW/BMcC)