Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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473. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will prioritise the extension of a school (details supplied) in County Dublin and make funding available immediately to ensure the extension may be carried out in an effort to ensure the provision of secondary school places in the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39021/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The building project referred to by the Deputy is included in the Five Year Construction Programme to proceed to Tender and Construction.

The original design team appointed to the project had reached completion of Stage 1 of Architectural Planning. As part of that work and following an assessment of the current accommodation, it was agreed by the Department that extensive additional refurbishment works to the existing school will also be required.

The Department approved a significant increase in the scope of works for the project to incorporate those refurbishment works. Arising from this expansion in the scope of works it was necessary to commence a tender exercise for the appointment of a new design team to take the project forward from this point. This process, which was conducted by the ETB, was completed and the new Design Team have been authorised to proceed to Stage 2A of Architectural Planning, which is the developed Design Stage.

Earlier this year, the Department met with officials from the ETB regarding progression of the project. Following this meeting, further information was requested from the ETB and its Design Team. A review of this information has been completed by my Department and the project is proceeding to complete Stage 2A of Architectural Planning. Upon successful completion of Stage 2A the project will progress to complete Stage 2B, Detailed Design, which includes the application for Statutory approvals and the preparation of Tender Documents for Contractors. Following completion of stage 2B the project will then be progressed to tender and construction.