Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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72. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in expediting stage 2A of the architectural planning process for the extension and refurbishment of a school (details supplied); the action that will be taken to move the process onto stage 2B as quickly as possible; if he will ensure that the revised opening date of September 2019 is met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10328/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware of the background to this project from my answer to his earlier question today. 

The stage 2(a) report is currently under review in my Department. Stage 2(a) is a critical stage in the progress of any project. It effectively sets the final design of the building to ensure a high quality of accommodation and to facilitate a smooth progression through the applications for planning permission, fire cert and disability access cert. All of these statutory approvals are required before the design team can progress to completing the tender documents.

My Department will have completed its review of the stage 2(a) report by mid-April and the project will then be authorised to progress to commence stage 2(b) which includes the applications for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents.

Any timeframe for the further progression of the project through the tender and construction stages will necessarily be dependent on the timeframe for the ETB and its design team successfully completing stage 2(b).

I can assure the Deputy that once stage 2(b) is complete my Department will do everything it can to ensure that the tender and construction stages are expedited.