Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If it were the case that political backing for a school was beneficial and actually delivered things, I would have delivered the Dún Laoghaire Educate Together National School four years ago. Instead, I am in the same negotiations on behalf of the parents and children of Dún Laoghaire Educate Together National School. We are trying to work through planning permission difficulties, changes and tender processes. If it were the case that a school were to benefit from political backing, by way of example, Dún Laoghaire Educate Together National School in my constituency would have been finished by now. I do not accept that point.

The Senator is quite right to identify the scale of funding that is there and has already been deployed, but it is always about delivery. That is a common theme in the Seanad this morning. The major building project for Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire in Dominick Street is, as Senator Sherlock is aware, included in the Department of Education's construction programme being delivered under the national development plan. The project brief for this large-scale capital project, involving the construction of a 16-classroom primary school on a brownfield site, consists of a four-storey 13-classroom block with ancillary rooms facing Dominick Street; a five-storey block with administration services, library and resource rooms on the corner of Dominick Place and Dominick Street; an elevated first-floor bridge block containing three classrooms facing Dominick Place; and a general purpose hall with a basement for service rooms to the rear of the site on Granby Row. The brief was initially for an eight-classroom school. The site was purchased from Dublin City Council. The Department of Education says that the project is a priority for it and that significant resources have been made to advance the project. One key thing I am sure the Senator is aware of is that the site is in an area of archaeological interest and abuts a protected structure, which is owned and occupied by Youth Work Ireland.

Works commenced on the site on 30 June 2023 with an estimated completion timeframe of 24 months. Issues have arisen on site, mainly due to the constrained nature of the city centre location and the historic nature of the area. The Department of Education has responded to and continues to engage with the design team and contractor to discuss the matter and resolve issues to reduce any risk to the programme. Given the complexity of the build, and it is a complex build, the Department of Education sanctioned the appointment of a project manager on the project who has commenced identification of the key issues currently affecting the project's success, and is developing various proposals and strategies to remedy the issues, identify and realign the full project teams roles and agree the project delivery timelines and goals.

The Department has worked extensively with the design team and contractor to minimise project delays, ensure clean lines of communication and identify methods of improving the project. An example of this is the development of a building information model system that will encourage collaborative working between all disciplines involved in the project. That system is now in place. The Department believes it will be hugely beneficial to the project as all parties share the same information simultaneously. Progress has been made on the site. An update on the final programme of the project is expected from the project manager shortly.

I will also tell Senator Sherlock, as I have time, that the Department continues to be in contact with the school authorities, with the latest meeting on 30 September 2024 for a full brief on the current situation.A further meeting is scheduled for 21 October 2024 between the Department of Education, the school and the appointed project managers to outline the programme for the remainder of the project. It is much further ahead, therefore, than Dún Laoghaire Educate Together. There is substantial engagement with the Department and the school but, of course, what the Senator wants, on behalf of the people she represents, is the delivery of the school.