Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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446. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a new school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25536/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding to provide a new school building.

My Department recently met with the school to discuss the application. The school was advised that, due to the need to prioritise available funding towards the provision of essential classroom accommodation to meet demographic demand, it would not be possible to progress a major project for the school at this time. The school was also advised that should enrolment numbers justify the appointment of an additional teacher and if it was not possible to accommodate this teacher within the school, that the school could submit an application to my Department for an additional classroom at that point.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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447. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current stage of construction of a school (details supplied); if he will advance the building work at this school given the length of time the school has been in prefabricated buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25538/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2b - Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents. All statutory approvals have been granted.

However, on January 1st 2016 there were 66 major projects under construction. Since the start of this year a total of 50 more major projects have been progressed to construction or are currently authorised to complete the tender process with a view to starting on site before the end of this year. That represents a total of 116 major projects either under construction or progressing to 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 and carry a significant contractual commitment into 2017.

This project is on the 2016-21 Construction Programme and my Department is fully committed to progressing the project to construction.

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

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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448. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current stage of construction of a school (details supplied); the estimated date on which construction work will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25539/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2b - Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents. All statutory approvals have been granted.

The Design Team are in the process of completing the Stage 2(b) report for submission to my Department and following review of that report my officials will then revert to the school with regard to the further progression of the project.

It is not possible at this time to give a more indicative timeline for when construction will commence.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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449. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current stage of construction of schools (details supplied); the estimated date on which construction work will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25540/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The major school building project to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2(b). All statutory approvals have been secured.

However, following the appointment of a replacement Mechanical & Electrical Engineer the Design Team, in association with the newly appointed Engineer, is working on a revised M&E report which will be submitted to the Department when it is completed. My Department will revert to the school with regard to the further progression of the project following consideration of that report.

It is not possible at this time to give a more indicative timeline for when construction is expected to commence.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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450. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current stage of construction of a school (details supplied); the estimated date on which construction work will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25541/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The school to which the Deputy refers commenced construction in November 2015 under an 18 month contract. The project is being delivered in two distinct phases and is currently progressing on schedule. Phase 1 was delivered on 31st August 2016 and was ready for occupation in time for the new school year. Subject to no issues arising, substantial completion for Phase 2 is expected in May 2017.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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451. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current stage of construction of a school (details supplied); the estimated date on which construction work will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25542/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that a project for the school concerned as well as for the two other schools which share the school site, is included on the 6 Year Programme announced last November. It is envisaged that the project will be delivered as a single building project.

In order to progress the project, the contact school was requested to furnish a site map to my Department but was unable to do so. My Department has recently managed to secure a site map and will be in further contact with the schools in the context of progressing the project into the architectural planning process.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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452. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current stage of construction of a school (details supplied); the estimated date on which construction work will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25543/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school to which she refers is included in my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme.

The delivery of the project necessitates the acquisition of a site. A suitable site has been identified and negotiations with the vendor are currently at an advanced stage. When the site acquisition has been finalised, the architectural planning process to deliver the building project will be initiated.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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453. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current stage of construction of a school (details supplied); the estimated date on which construction work will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25544/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school to which she refers is included in my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme.

The delivery of the project necessitates the acquisition of a suitable site. A potential site has been identified and its acquisition is currently being advanced by my Department.

When a site has been acquired, the architectural planning process to deliver the building project will be initiated.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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454. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current stage of construction of a school (details supplied); the estimated date on which construction work will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25545/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which she refers was included in the Department's 6 Year Capital Programme announced last November.

My Department is currently finalising the project brief and once this process is complete, my Department will be in further contact with the school. The project will be progressed into the architectural planning process when the brief has been finalised.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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455. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of the 116 schools with major projects under construction or progressing to construction that will have building work commenced in 2016; the number of these projects that will carry a substantial contractual commitment into 2017; the number of projects expected to progress to construction in 2017 and in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25546/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Of the 66 projects on site at the start of this year, 24 have now completed construction. The remaining 42 projects remain under construction and will carry a substantial contractual commitment into 2017.

Since the start of this year a total of 50 more major projects have been progressed to construction or are currently authorised to complete the tender process with a view to starting on site before the end of this year. All of these projects will incur the bulk of their expenditure as a contractual commitment under the 2017 capital allocation.

My Department officials will continue to closely monitor expenditure on existing contractual commitments over the coming months and, as funding allows, other projects will be considered for progression through the tender process with a view to starting on site as soon as possible in 2017 and 2018. The contractual commitments for 2017 and 2018 will determine the number of major projects which can be progressed to construction in each of those years.