Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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321. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the time frame for the building of new schools with identified sites (details supplied) is taking much longer than the projected finish date; and the provisions that are being made for the students hoping to start in these schools in the new term. [41094/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The permanent projects for the schools referred to by the Deputy are being delivered under my Department's Design & Build Programme.  The building projects for both schools are at an advanced stage of the tender process to appoint a building Contractor. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Management team to progress the project through the stages of architectural planning, tendering and construction. 

The tender process which is currently underway for 8 major school building projects, including the new schools for Edmund Rice and Pelletstown, will establish a framework of Design & Build Contractors to which other school building projects will be tendered over the next two years. It commenced in December 2019 and will be concluded in Quarter 1 of 2021 with the award of Contracts for the eight schools.  Both schools will remain in their current location and my  Department officials are in communication with both schools regarding their interim accommodation requirements for 2021/2022.  

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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322. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a formal dispute resolution process has been started for a school (details supplied); if a professional independent conciliator has been appointed; if so, when the process will start; the conditions attached for the stakeholders taking part in the resolution process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41095/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The issue preventing the occupation of the school referred to by the Deputy has been referred to Conciliation – the standard dispute resolution mechanism under the Public Works Contract.

The Conciliator has been appointed and the first meeting with both parties took place on Friday 4th December.

It is hoped that the conciliation process, which has now commenced and which allows for dialogue between the parties and their design consultants, can provide a mechanism for resolution of the issues currently impacting on the handover and occupation of the building.

The conditions pertaining to Conciliation are as set out in clause 13.2 of the Public Works Contract. Clause 13.2.12 of the Contract provides that the Conciliation shall be confidential and the Parties shall respect it’s confidentiality. Therefore, during the Conciliation process, my Department will not be making public statements regarding the matters under conciliation or regarding the process itself.