Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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366. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress to date in the tender and construction of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42028/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas including school planning area in which this school is situated.

Where capacity issues arise it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:

- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place  to a number of schools in the area

- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area

- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school there are not available to all pupils

- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area

Until these issues are discussed with the relevant school authorities the true extent of any capacity issue will only become known.

Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies, including those in this school planning area, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action. 

In relation to the permanent building project for this school, the current position is that the tender process to establish the new Design & Build Contractors Framework commenced on the 4^thDecember 2019. The second stage of the tender process which involves the detailed tender for several schools has commenced and is expected to be concluded in quarter four 2020.

The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in the first bundle of projects currently been tendered to this new Framework. This is the earliest that the project can be tendered.

It is my Departments intention that the construction of the new 1000 pupil school will be phased to provide permanent accommodation as early as possible in the 2021/22 school year with the second phase of the new school being completed before the start of the 2022/23 school year.

The School Authority are kept informed of developments.