Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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40. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of additional secondary school places in south County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14428/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Projects are currently being progressed in respect of four schools in the South Kildare area. A building project for St. Conleth’s Community College is currently on site and the project is expected to be completed in time for the commencement of the academic year in September, 2018.  Also, a building project for St Paul's Secondary School, Monasterevin is currently at Stage 2(b) of the architectural planning process.

In addition, building projects for Athy Community College and Cross and Passion Secondary School, Kilcullen are included in my Department's Capital Programme.  In the context of progressing the building projects, my Department has undertaken site visits to the schools.

The building project for Athy Community College will be devolved to Kildare Wicklow Education Training Board (KWETB) for delivery and it is my Department's intention to engage with KWETB shortly in this regard.

Additional capacity in the region of 1,700 school places will be provided when projects at these four schools are completed.

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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41. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a school (details supplied) will be signed off; and when it will open in view of the collapse of the main contractor. [14459/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The school referred to by the Deputy forms part of Schools Bundle 5, the PPP project which has been impacted by the liquidation of Carillion. 

The Dutch Infrastructure Fund (DIF), representing the PPP Company responsible for delivery of Schools Bundle 5, is currently implementing a rectification plan to secure service commencement on the five school buildings and one further education college as soon as possible. 

DIF has indicated that a number of contractors/service providers have now been invited to quote for finishing the works outstanding on the relevant buildings and for the provision of facilities management services over the 25-year life of the project. It expects to receive final bids from tenderers, with whom it has already had extensive engagement, by early April. 

Based on this, and the expected timeframe for the evaluation of tenders, and appointment and mobilisation of the new contractor/service providers, DIF is targeting all six buildings to be operational for the beginning of the coming school year, with the most advanced schools - which includes the school referred to by the Deputy - to be delivered earlier in the summer.

DIF has confirmed that, in conjunction with its lenders, it will deploy all necessary resources towards achieving these target dates.