Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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5. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on a new school building project (details supplied); if she is aware that planning permission was granted for these schools in November 2020; the reason for the delays in bringing this project to construction; the indicative timeline for construction, commencement and completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60169/25]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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I want to ask the Minister for an update on a new school building project for Coláiste Ríoga and Dunshaughlin Community National School in Dunshaughlin, County Meath. Is she is aware that planning permission was granted for these schools in November 2020? It is now November 2025? What is the reason for the delays in bringing this project to construction and the indicative timeline for construction, commencement and completion?

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am conscious and aware of both schools. I regularly visit schools, including the two the Deputy has mentioned.

My Department has a strong focus on provision for school place needs, underpinned by robust forward planning including demographic analysis informed by residential development plans. Dunshaughlin is an area that has seen significant growth. It will continue to see that growth, thankfully, in the years head.

Under the NDP, my Department's approach will be to continue to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible in the first instance while, of course, providing the necessary additional capacity through targeted and prioritised project roll-out over the course of the period 2026 to 2030 to meet the most urgent and prioritised needs.

The major building project for the schools referred to by the Deputy, Coláiste Ríoga and Dunshaughlin Community National School, are part of my Department's employer-led design programme and will be delivered as a campus project, providing additional school places to meet the needs of the growing population.

This campus will deliver a new primary school, which includes two classrooms for children with special educational needs. It also includes a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school, including six classrooms for children with special educational needs.

These projects progressed to tender on 12 December 2024 and the tender period closed on 26 February. After due diligence was carried out and discussions with contractors, the companies that placed first and second withdrew their tenders. This is not something that always happens but, unfortunately, in this instance, it did. The letter of intent then issued to the third tenderer on 15 August - only in the past few months - and subsequent discussions regarding reserved specialist contractors are almost concluded.

These schools will meet a rising demand for school places in the Dunshaughlin area, which has seen increased residential developments, and will respond to what is a very clear need within both communities. My Department will continue to keep the school authorities informed with regard to getting construction commenced on this urgently required project. I hope we will be able to make progress in the very near future. We are coming towards the end of that current stage. It is again important to stress, and I think the community realises this, that there were a number more recently, in terms of the tender. The fact that contractors withdrew meant the timelines that had been set were, unfortunately, delayed. However, we are still on track to be able to start this project as soon as possible.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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The community will hang on the Minister's every word in relation to this. For clarity, regarding the letter of intent issued to the third contractor, are part of the works separated off? My understanding is that a letter of authorisation is due. What is the next step on that?

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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That is the next stage.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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Is it a letter of acceptance? Is it the case that the project has been divided up and there are subcontractors? The Minister mentioned specialist work. Is that related to the struggle to get contractors to commit to this project? Is there a new approach in that regard? Obviously, there are delays in this that are very frustrating. Will she indicate, given she said it would be as soon as is possible, when we might expect that letter of acceptance will issue and the next step after that?

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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There is nothing unusual or different in this project. I cannot fully commit to the reasons other contractors pulled out. Perhaps there was other work they were doing and there was too heavy a load. Again, we cannot change the reasons for it. We can just make sure that the work is being done now to make sure the next stage can be moved onto as quickly as possible. There are no delays at present. It is a matter of going through the different stages, including the paperwork and the information that has been provided. The next stage is to offer the letter of acceptance, which then means we can start the building, get the builders on-site and move along with these projects, which is something the school community wants to see happen. I am absolutely committed to this. To be clear, the funding is there. The money is ready to start the project. It is just to move on to this final stage. Once we get to that stage, the community, and the school community in particular, will be informed.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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There are a couple of issues. There is real frustration in relation to this. As I said, planning was granted in 2020. There will be a need for additional prefab space in both of these schools come next September because pupils will not be in them. We can all agree to that due to the fact we have not got contracts signed. From speaking to people very close to not only this project, but other projects, and colleagues around the country, there is a concern about capital projects in the education sector. I have spoken to contractors who say it is not easy dealing with the Department; that there have been changes in the Department; that projects are being delayed related to that; and that there were flexibilities and co-operations that were custom and practice, which are not happening now. This is a major concern, not only in Dunshaughlin but across the State. Other Deputies will have questions later on school building projects. Is this recognised by the Minister and the Department? What can be done to address that?

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Over the past five years alone, 1,300 projects have been progressed. These are new schools, large-scale projects, additional accommodation projects and emergency works projects. There have been 1,300 projects over the past five years. That is €6 billion that is being spent right across the country. Looking at the work that has been done, I compliment the work of the building unit and the team in the Department because we and they are a team that can deliver a significant amount of work within the budget we have. Obviously, the more money we have, the more schools we will be able to build. We now have a budget of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth out to 2030. My intention is that as many projects as possible will be moved within that overall budget I have.

I also compliment both schools in question, including the principals and all of the teachers, and the community national school in particular, because I appreciate they are on the grounds of a football pitch. They have worked really well with the local community and GAA team as well, but they are working within a confined space. My absolute priority, and similarly for Coláiste Ríoga, which is working on a temporary site, is to get them into their permanent accommodation as quickly as possible to make sure the students who are there benefit from that permanent accommodation.