Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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49. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will approve a new school building to progress to tender stage for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28042/16]

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 has been approved by my Department.

However, on 1st January 2016 there were 66 major projects under construction. Since the start of this year 50 more major projects have been progressed to construction or 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 and carry a significant contractual commitment into 2017.

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.

Officials of my 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, which will be considered for progression through the tender process with a view to starting on site as soon as possible.