Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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853. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary that has applied for an extension; the timeframe for completion of works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1684/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The school building project referred to by the Deputy will provide for refurbishment of the listed buildings on site and an extension to provide overall accommodation for a 16 classroom school.

My Department has already secured planning permission for the project using in-house architectural resources. The next step in the architectural planning process is to appoint a full design team to complete the design of the extension and refurbishment works required. The tender process to appoint the design team is expected to commence shortly.

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 for this school, 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.