Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Keating for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the current position on the major school building project for Scoil Mhuire girls' national school in Lucan.

The Deputy will be aware of the demographic challenge facing the education system in the coming years. Primary enrolments, which have already risen substantially in recent years, are projected to rise by an additional 25,000 pupils by 2017 and they are set to continue to rise, with a likely peak in 2019. To meet the needs of our growing population of school-going children, the Department must establish new schools as well as extending or replacing a number of existing schools in areas where demographic growth has been identified. The delivery of the new schools, together with extension projects to meet future demand, will be the main focus of the Department's budget for the coming years.

The Deputy will also be aware that significant capital funding will be invested in the education system through the Government's capital programme announced on 29 September last.

Over the next six years, €3 billion in direct funding will be invested in the schools capital programme.

The building project at Scoil Mhuire was one of a number of projects included in the investing in infrastructure and jobs stimulus package which, as the Deputy has just said, was announced in June 2013. As part of this announcement, my Department committed to advancing these school projects, including Scoil Mhuire, to completion. The project will provide an extra three classrooms to enhance the school to a 24-classroom facility. Additionally, it will provide major refurbishment to the existing school. This refurbishment element of the project represents a significant and increased investment by the Department and will provide state-of-the-art facilities for close to 700 pupils. The project encountered a number of delays in the course of architectural planning. Scoil Mhuire and St. Joseph's college share the same site which, at 6.18 acres, is very tight. This resulted in the need for additional feasibility studies on the utilisation of the site ahead of the project. In addition, the project also endured the loss of a member of the design team who left the project, adding further delay. Notwithstanding these difficulties, the project was authorised to proceed through the tender process in the course of 2015. The design team's supplementary tender report was submitted to the Department in December 2015 and has been considered by my Department.

I became aware of the issues Deputy Keating refers to. I had a phone call from the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Fitzgerald, and contact from Deputy Joanna Tuffy at the weekend. Deputy Keating was also in touch with my office. I am aware of the concerns in the local community. As the Deputy may be aware, in the management of a capital programme, it is necessary to review periodically the scheduling of construction projects within the overall programme. This is a standard procedure, especially at the beginning of the year of the programme. In this context, my Department is conducting an expenditure profiling exercise to determine when projects can advance to site. When the expenditure profiling is complete, the Department will be in contact with Scoil Mhuire on the further progression of the project. I want to alleviate any fear that there is some kind of competition going on between schools - that is not the case. This is a procedure with regard to expenditure profiling and as soon as it is done - it will not take long - we will be in contact with the school.

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