Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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162. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a building project in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the timeframe for completion of works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40741/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2b - Detailed Design. All statutory approvals have been obtained and the Stage 2b submission was recently approved by my Department. The Design Team are required to carry out a final review of all tender documentation and to submit final confirmations that all tender documents are in compliance with Department requirements and Building Control(Amendment) Regulations(BC(a)R. When this review is completed and confirmations received, officials from my Department will contact the Board of Management with regard to the potential, at that time, for the further progression of this project.

Due to competing demands on my 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 have been 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 my Department in the future.