Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Lombard for raising this matter. It gives me the opportunity to update the House on the current position regarding the additional school accommodation scheme project for St. Brogan's College, Bandon, County Cork.

As the Senator will be aware, the project referred to is a building project to deliver additional accommodations at St. Brogan's College, Bandon, County Cork. The project is a large ASA project delivered in two phases. Responsibility for delivering the project has been devolved to Cork Educational and Training Board, which has appointed a design team to design the accommodation being provided and to bring the project through the tender and construction phases. Projects progress from stage to stage in accordance with the project brief and the Department's design guidelines.

Under phase 1, four general classrooms, three science laboratories, two preparation areas, an art room, a textile room, a home economics room and a pastoral office were completed last year. The Department of Education has also approved a phase 2 of this project to enter its pipeline of school buildings. Phase 2 will provide seven general classrooms, a mild general learning disability classroom, three special education classrooms, seven special education tuition rooms and ancillary accommodation, including a staffroom, a general purpose and-or dining room, a counter area, servery, a general purpose, GP, storeroom, locker areas and toilets.

The stage 1 architectural report for phase 2 is currently being reviewed by the Department from both a technical and cost perspective. This is similar to all other capital projects and is in accordance with the requirements of the public infrastructure guidelines. Once this review is completed, the outcome will be shared with the school authority. At this early juncture in the project, it is not feasible to give a reliable timeline for the practical completion of the project.

Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested over €5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 950 school building projects and with construction currently under way at approximately 350 other projects, which includes 37 new school buildings. These 350 projects, currently at construction, involve a total State investment of over €1.5 billion. This is a record level of investment in school buildings. It will expand the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education, and will upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure. The impact of this will be felt in communities right around the country.