Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this Topical Issue for debate. It is a very important matter, not just the delivery of the new school building for this community but also the contingency in the meantime. That is something I hope the Minister of State can discuss.

I commend the whole school community at Dunshaughlin Community National School, including the principal, Ms Slevin, the parents' association, the teaching staff and, of course, the student population. There are a number of factors I would like the Minister of State to address. If he does not have a response, I ask him to escalate the matter and to come back to us with responses from the senior Minister. What is the delay with this project? There has been a delay. The parents, students and school community received notification in January 2023 that this project would go to tender in quarter 3 or quarter 4 of 2023. We are now in quarter 2 of 2024 and we have been told the project will happen later this year. What is the delay? This project was included in one of the bundles, lot 7, but it seems it has been delayed inordinately. Why has that delay occurred? What is the indicative timeline now? The Minister of State will appreciate there have been parliamentary questions asked across the political spectrum as well as letters to the Minister and questions from local councillors. There has been an indication that the project will go to tender later this year and may be on site in 2025. Will the Minister of State give a commitment that that is the timeline? Can we rein that in a bit and move ahead earlier?

There are considerations in respect of this project. There is considerable demand for primary school places in the Dunshaughlin area. The planning permission relating to this project has taken time. Why has there been a delay? What is the indicative timeline? In respect of contingency, what is to happen in the meantime? There will be enormous demand for school places. This is a multidenominational school, the only one in the vicinity, and there is significant demand for places. There are real space constraints on the existing site. The school is on the grounds of Dunshaughlin GAA and there is no space to move out within the footprint. I understand the Department is taking the lead. With the existing rental contract, will additional capacity be brought onto the site? How is that going to be facilitated for the academic year 2024-2025? I would like to hear from the Minister of State on those three substantive points.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Education, to provide an update to the House on the current position in respect of the campus project in Dunshaughlin for Dunshaughlin Community National School and Coláiste Ríoga. The Deputy will be aware that every Deputy in the House is inundated with various school projects.

Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €4.5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of more than 800 school building projects. Construction is under way at approximately 300 other projects, which include 31 new school buildings. Projects at construction involve a total State investment of €1.2 billion.

The Minister for Education recently announced that close to 90 school building projects currently at tender stage will be authorised to proceed to construction over the course of 2024 and early 2025. In total, approximately €800 million will be invested in these projects under the Department's large-scale capital programme and additional accommodation scheme for essential classroom accommodation. This level of construction roll-out recognises the priority that Government puts on investment in education, including responding to the increased requirement for special education provision.

The Dunshaughlin school campus building project currently has planning permission and will, along with a number of other projects with planning permission, be brought to the level of employer-led design, with a design team assigned to do so under the supervision of the Department's project manager. The process of appointing the design team from the Department's frameworks of consultants was completed in September 2023 and the project is now progressing through design development stages.

Projects are subject to relevant due diligence by the Department of Education at each stage in the process within the context of overall programme and budgetary parameters. In late March, following a review of the national development plan allocations, the Government approved medium-term capital allocations for the Department of Education for the period to 2026. The Department's planning and building unit is now reviewing its programme plans in the context of those recently confirmed allocations.

Dunshaughlin Community National School is located in interim accommodation on the Dunshaughlin GAA site. The Department is working on providing additional interim accommodation to meet the demand for September 2024 and expects to lodge an application for an extension to the planning permission for that location shortly. The Department will continue to keep the schools updated through their patron body.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the parent's association, I want to read a number of questions into the record. The Minister has received these questions and I would appreciate it if the Minister of State could also raise them with her. What is the duration of the rental contract between the GAA and the Department? Are there plans in place for accommodation during the academic year 2024-2025? Will the Minister provide a specific date for when lot 7 will progress to the next stage? Will the Minister explain the reasons behind the delay in the construction process? Has the Department initiated the process of renewing planning permission? If the construction of the building is not completed within the previously communicated timeline, are there contingency plans for accommodation during the academic year 2025-2026, the year after the next academic year? Is there a method to expedite the construction of the permanent building? The lot of projects that most recently went to tender did so in April 2023. What is the delay in lot 7 going to tender? Have any projects from lot 7 proceeded to tender?

I wanted to put those questions on the record and the Minister of State will have access to them. He touched on some of the answers in his response. My concern, following on from our initial exchange, is the piece around the "90 school building projects [that are] currently at tender stage [and] will be authorised to proceed to construction over the course of 2024 and early 2025". I understand this project is coming towards the end of stage 2B. I hope that process is to conclude soon. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State could come back with an indicative timeline for when it will move to tender stage. The big issue that needs a push from Government Deputies in County Meath and from all of us, and the school community will not be found wanting, is getting it to tender and construction stage. Early 2025 looks like it is already blocked off. We need this project to proceed at the latest in early 2025.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I again thank the Deputy. I assure him the Dunshaughlin school campus project is a significant priority for the Department of Education, which will continue to liaise with the school and its patron body on interim accommodation requirements and will provide any updates about the progress of the school building project we have been discussing.

The Deputy has read a list of serious questions and I will personally bring them to the Minister tomorrow. Perhaps a written parliamentary question would get some of those answers in writing in a matter of days.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Parliamentary questions are already in.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to hear that. The school building project for Dunshaughlin Community National School involves the construction of eight new classrooms, as the Deputy is aware, and accommodation, including two classrooms for children with special educational needs and ancillary accommodation. The location, as the Deputy is aware, is on the Dublin Road and the campus site will also incorporate the new post-primary school building for Coláiste Ríoga. The planning permission for the school referred to by the Deputy was granted on 4 November 2020. In the event that an extension to the current planning permission is required, the Department will prepare the necessary documentation. The school will require one additional classroom to meet the requirements for September 2024 and the Department has accommodation available that could be relocated onto the site during the summer months, subject to the granting of planning permission. The Department will do that if it is considered necessary in this case.