John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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458. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the application for funding for a new school building by a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26839/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department met with the school referred to in the context of an application received for a replacement school.  The school were 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 were also advised that my Department would work with the school, as far as practicable and subject to the availability of funding, to further improve the school's facilities. In that regard, should enrolment numbers justify the appointment of an additional mainstream teacher, and if it was not possible to accommodate such a teacher within the school, the school could submit an application to my Department for an additional classroom at that point.

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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459. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the delay to the completion of the final phase of a secondary school (details supplied); the reason this project has not been delivered on time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26852/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The project referred to by the Deputy was authorised to proceed to tender in October 2016.

However, as the pre-qualification of contractors had first been conducted by the design team in April 2015 the design team, concerned about the possibility of legal challenges, asked the Office of Government Procurement for advice on this matter. The advice was that it would be prudent to run the pre-qualification again.

The Design Team has rerun the pre-qualification and the project is now out to tender. Tenders are due back in mid July. 

Subject to no issues arising it is anticipated that construction will commence in late 2017 and the project is scheduled to take approximately 18 months to complete.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware the building project for the school in question is included on my Department's capital programme.

Officials in my Department have been liaising with officials in the relevant Local Authority regarding the potential development of an educationally zoned site to accommodate the school.  There are currently infrastructural issues which need to be resolved in order to progress the proposed development. 

My officials have contacted the school patron to discuss the issues with a view to progressing matters.