Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

I thank Senator O'Loughlin very much for raising this matter, which provides me with the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth and to outline to the Seanad and the Senator's constituents the current position on the major building project at the Curragh Community College in Magee Barracks in Kildare. As she outlined, this project is a very important school building project for Kildare. She spoke about schools in Kildare town and Newbridge being under pressure and the extra capacity this school will provide and how welcome it will be for the area. For that reason, this project is included in the Department of Education and Youth's construction programme, which will be delivered under the national development plan, NDP, as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework.

As the Senator outlined, the brief for this project is to provide a new permanent school for the Curragh Community College. The project is designed to be delivered in two phases. Phase 1 will deliver accommodation for 425 students and phase 2 will deliver the remaining accommodation to provide for a long-term projected enrolment of 1,000 students at the former Magee Barracks site in County Kildare.

Senator O'Loughlin outlined that the design team lodged its initial application for planning permission for the preferred design option with the local authority in October 2023. There was a substantial request for further information, RFI, from the local authority in respect of the planning application. Following the submission of the information, the local authority made an initial decision to grant planning permission, with conditions, in October 2024. The initial granting of planning decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanála and the design team received An Bord Pleanála's decision to grant planning permission in early February of this year, just a number of months ago.

Senator O'Loughlin mentioned that the project is currently at the architectural planning stage - stage 3 - tender action and award and it is a priority project for delivery by the Department. The Senator also mentioned the ADAPT programme, which is all about accelerated delivery.

The design team issued the tender to the Department's design and build framework of contractors, with a return date of May 2025, just last month. The design team is currently reviewing the tenders received and will forward its report to the Department, with its recommendations, for review and approval. Once the Department has the review, it will then be in contact with the design team and the school to progress the project. I understand the urgency of the matter for Senator O'Loughlin and the people she is dealing with, in particular to get phase 1 up and running. I hope she can see that progress is evident.