Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The project referred to by the Deputy is at tender stage. The project brief is for the construction of a 600-pupil, two-storey, post-primary school building, including general classrooms, specialist classrooms, assembly hall and all ancillary accommodation. The stage 2b submission for this project was approved in September 2021. Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board and its design team were authorised to proceed to tender upon completion of the pre-qualification process in October 2022. With the original planning permission close to expiring, a decision was made that a new planning application to incorporate additional elements, such as traffic management, was required for the project. This was lodged with Dublin City Council on 26 January 2023. Dublin City Council has since requested that the entire application be recommenced and resubmitted with the additional information. This planning application was resubmitted on 9 March. This project was approved to go to tender in October 2022 but is currently on hold to proceed due to capital funding pressures and the requirement to submit a new planning permission.

My Department's published national development plan allocation for 2023 is €860 million. High construction inflation remains a continuing feature of the construction sector for 2023. Given the Department’s strong track record in recent years in delivering the school building programme, and our full utilisation of our budget every year, there is no margin to absorb inflationary pressures. As I have stated, my Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform on capital funding pressures to continue to adequately support the operation of the school system with the roll-out of school building projects to construction in 2023.

I am appreciative of the support and engagement which has been offered by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, and by the Minister in this regard. We are currently at an advanced stage with the discussions. Progress has been made and I am anxious to bring this to a resolution quickly. I reassure the Deputy and the relevant school communities that school building projects that are on hold due to capital funding pressures will be progressed and delivered. I am well aware of the urgency in getting these projects delivered as quickly as possible. We will be providing an update to individual schools as soon as possible. In tandem with this, the Department’s planning and building unit will also be updating patron bodies and school management bodies at that stage.

See this speech in context