Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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78. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 228 of 5 July 2016, the reason a school (details supplied) was not in a position to go to tender despite a gestation period of almost 17 years together with commitments advanced by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21772/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. All statutory approvals have been obtained and the Stage 2b submission was recently approved by the Department.

However, on 1st January 2016 there were 66 major projects under construction. Since the start of this year 14 more major projects have been progressed to construction and there are currently 36 projects authorised to progress through the tender process with a view to starting on site in the coming months. That represents a total of 116 major projects either under construction or progressing to commence construction in 2016. These projects were authorised to proceed under previous Minister O'Sullivan, and this means that the existing contractual commitments for 2016 now fully account for the funding which was allocated for 2016 by the previous Minister.

While the project for the school in question was included on the 5 year Construction Programme 2012-2016 it was not at a sufficiently advanced stage to be considered for inclusion with those projects when they were authorised to proceed to tender earlier this year.

The capital allocation to the primary and post-primary schools sector for 2016 is a total of €527million. The construction costs of all major projects already on site and progressing through the tender process in 2016, the provision of classroom accommodation to schools under the Departments Additional Accommodation Scheme, the continued replacement of prefabs, an Emergency Works scheme, the purchase of sites and a Summer Works programme for 2016 more than account for the totality of this funding available.

Officials of the Department will continue to closely monitor expenditure on existing contractual commitments over the coming months and, as funding allows, other projects, including the project for this school will be considered for progression through the tender process with a view to starting on site as soon as possible.