Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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13. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills maidir le ceist 40786/26 ar an 28 Bealtaine 2026, an dtabharfaidh sí an t-eolas is déanaí maidir le hoibreacha atá á ndéanamh ar scoil an Tuairín i mBéal an Daingin; an bhfuil aon athrú ar an stádas don tionscnamh; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [54054/26]

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Céard go díreach atá ag tarlú leis an scoil ar an Tuairín i mBéal an Daingin? Is é an t-eolas is déanaí maidir leis na hoibreacha atá á lorg againn. An bhfuil aon uasdátú ar stádas an tionscnaimh? Is é sin an t-eolas atá de dhíth ar dhaoine. Will the Minister give an update on an Tuairín i mBéal an Daingin?

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Tá an síneadh atá le cur leis an scoil, ar thagair an Teachta dó, ceadaithe le dul isteach i bpíblíne thionscadail mo Roinne chun seomra ranga príomhshrutha amháin agus trí sheomra oideachais speisialta a chur ar fáil. Rinneadh é a chineachadh chun seachadta chuig údarás na scoile.

In early June, departmental officials contacted the school to advise that its project remained under review in the context of NDP parameters and the overall prioritisation of capital investment. The project is currently at stage 2b, i.e. detailed design. A stage 2b report was received in August 2025 and is currently under review from a technical and cost perspective. All school building projects, including this one, must undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the infrastructure guidelines. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to ensuring that the overall school building programme remains within the funding parameters.

As the Deputy knows, enrolment has remained stable at that school at between 77 and 84 pupils from 2022 to 2025, supporting the ongoing viability of the school's four-teacher staffing structure in a mixed Irish medium primary school. Although enrolment has remained relatively stable, the school's accommodation is under significant pressure due to the need to accommodate three special education teachers, SETs, alongside four mainstream teachers. There is no spare classroom space available within the school. Two SET teaching spaces are currently located within the school. The accommodation need is therefore driven by the requirement for appropriate SET space and the restoration of ancillary facilities for their intended use.

Since 2020, the Department of education has provided €264.25 million in capital funding for Galway schools and over this period a total of 89 schools have been upgraded either through the provision of a new school building, a large scale extension or the provision of modular accommodation. Ten schools will tender for construction in 2026 and 2027, that were included in the NDP.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Is í an cheist ná céard go díreach atá chun tarlú anois. Cad iad na chéad céimeanna eile? Thug mé cuairt ar an scoil Dé hAoine seo chaite agus chonaic mé nach bhfuil go leor spáis inti. Tá sé le feiceáil go soiléir go bhfuil na ranganna riachtanais speisialta agus, ar ndóigh, an seomra ranga breise ag teastáil go géar. Tá an cheart ar fad ag an Aire go bhfuil uimhreacha maithe ag an scoil seo, ach tá an spás ag teastáil.

I thank the Minister for that update. I understand what she is saying about the 2b detailed design stage, but the real question is, what happens next? How many more stages will there be in the process? How long will this take? It is my understanding that the funding has been granted but that now the next stage is to go to eTenders. Where is that at? How long will that take?

I visited the school last week. It is a school that is under very clear pressure in terms of space. It has a good level of numbers but it needs the space.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Mar is amhlaidh le gach tionscadal tógála scoile, déantar iad a mheas i gcomhthéacs thosaíocht fhoriomlán an chláir agus paraiméadair mhaoinithe an phlean forbartha náisiúnta, PFN. I bplean infheistíochta earnála PFN mo Roinne, leagtar amach béim mo Roinne ar acmhainn reatha a uasmhéadú agus tús áite a thabhairt d’fheidhmiú céimneach tionscadail chun na riachtanais is práinní a shásamh, go háirithe chun tacú le soláthar riachtanas oideachais speisialta.

The project at scoil an Tuairín i mBéal an Daingin is currently under review from both a technical and cost perspective in accordance with the requirements outlined in the public infrastructure guidelines. In the context of the overall programme management, it is not possible to give a timeline for progression at this point but work is under way.

In moving projects forward, the Department maintains a strong focus on delivering value for money and affordability and including phasing arrangements where necessary to ensure spending remains sustainable. The project in this school will be considered as part of the overall programme management approach.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Ar mhaithe le soiléiriú iomlán, ón méid a thuigim, bhí maoiniú curtha ar fáil don tionscnamh seo. Is léir go bhfuil sé seo ag teastáil. Cuirfidh mé chomhthéacs air seo. Is scoil bheag í seo i mBéal an Daingin, ach is scoil láidir í. Tagann daoine ó cheantair éagsúla chun a gcuid páistí a chur chuig an scoil seo. Faoi láthair, áfach, níl go leor spáis inti. Bhí mé ag an scoil agus chonaic mé na seomraí. Tá siad róbheag. Tá go leor páistí ag freastal ar an scoil ach tá na seomraí breise seo ag teastáil. Faoi láthair, tá cófra á úsáid mar sensory room. Ba chóir go mbeadh i bhfad níos mó spáis ar fáil. Tá páistí ón Úcráin agus páistí atá ag teacht trí sheirbhísí IPAS ag freastal ar an scoil, agus is maith an rud é sin. Tá Gaeilge álainn acu. Teastaíonn an spás sin ón scoil.

Will the Minister be very clear about the funding? I understand that funding has been made available, so is it still there? I visited that school. It is a fantastic school. It needs the space. There are kids from Ukraine and International Protection Accommodation Services, IPAS, centres who speak absolutely fluent Irish because they have attended that school, but the school needs the support.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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It is important to note that only projects that are already at tender stage or close to be tender ready are included in the tranche of the NDP. The Department-led energy and condition survey has been conducted right throughout the country. That is being considered at the moment. We are looking at a new prioritisation list for the next tranche, so priority projects at earlier stages of the pipeline continue to be advanced, with particular emphasis on special schools, schools operating in interim accommodation and projects providing significant special education places. The next tranche of priority projects to proceed to tender and construction will be informed by: my Department's analysis that it is undergoing at the moment; engagement with patrons and schools; available funding where relevant; and findings from the Department's school estate energy and conditions survey, which is due to be completed at the end of this year. Any interim accommodation requirements will continue to be assessed and considered by the Department on a case-by-case basis in order to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing them.