Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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245. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a school (details supplied) in County Offaly will proceed to public tender in view of the fact that planning permission has been granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54271/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design. Planning permission has been received for the proposed scheme and the school's design team is preparing to lodge applications for the Fire Safety Certificate and the Disability Access Certificate. Once all three statutory approvals have been received, the design team will then complete the tender documents for the project and submit the stage 2(b) report to my Department for approval.

Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements it was not possible to include this project in the 5 year construction programme announced in March 2012.

School building projects, including the project referred to by the Deputy, which were previously initiated but not included in the current five year construction programme will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to the Department in the future.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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246. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the site acquisition and proposals to enter the planning process for a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54286/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that my officials have been working closely with officials from Kildare County Council in relation to acquiring a suitable site for the proposed new school building referred to by him. Agreement in principle, subject to contract, has been reached in relation to a suitable site and work is continuing to acquire the site. However, given the sensitivities associated with land acquisitions, I am not in a position to comment further on the proposed acquisition at this time.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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247. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the requirement for accommodation at a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54288/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The major building project for the schools referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning, stage 2(a) - Developed Sketch Design. On the satisfactory completion of stage 2a, and subject to no other issues arising, the project will progress to Stage 2(b) which includes applications for Planning Permission, Fire Safety Certification, Disability Access Certification and the preparation of tender documents.

Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements it was not possible to include this project in the 5 year construction programme announced in March 2012.

School building projects, including the project referred to by the Deputy, which were previously initiated but not included in the current five year construction programme will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to the Department in the future.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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248. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the requirement for accommodation at a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54293/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The procurement process to appoint an architectural design team for the major building project at the school referred to by the Deputy is underway. The appointment of the design team should be completed early in the New Year, at which point the architectural design phase of the project will commence with immediate effect.