Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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532. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for an extension to a school (details supplied). [21806/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Approval for funding has been given to the school to which the Deputy refers for a two phase project under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019.

The Phase 1 accommodation consists of 2 general Classrooms, 3 WCs, 1 WC Assisted User and 1 Science Lab with prep area, a DCG room and ancillary. A Stage 2b report and a request to go to Tender was recently submitted to my Department and is currently being assessed by officials in my Department.

The Phase 2 accommodation consists of 4 general classrooms and 1 Construction room. My Department recently agreed that a two classroom SEN base could be included in this phase. A brief is currently being formulated on this project which should issue to the school shortly.

Department officials have been in regular contact with the principal in relation to this matter.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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534. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) can proceed to tender for three additional resource rooms in circumstances in which the funding has already been approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21828/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that funding was approved under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2018 to enable the school in question to build three resource rooms and complete other conversion works. The project was devolved to the school for delivery.

I can also inform the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving a request to proceed to tender from the school in question. Indeed, we have no record of receipt of any correspondence from the school with respect to the progress of this project since the approval letter was issued on 9th October, 2018.

A school building project has a number of design stages within the design and delivery process where approval from the Department to move to the succeeding stage is mandatory. If the school is preparing to issue tenders for this project, then it has not complied with the Department's requirements in that respect and will need to make immediate contact with the Department to resolve the matter.