Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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351. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a project for extension and refurbishment to cater for a long-term projected enrolment of 1,000 pupils at a school (details supplied); when the project will commence; when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58984/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy recently completed Stage 2(b) Detailed Design and was authorised to proceed to tender stage on 27th October. A Tender stage normally takes between 6-8 months to complete. The project is expected to commence on site in Quarter 2 of 2022.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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352. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an extension refurbishment to cater for a long-term projection of enrolment of 1,000 pupils and two special educational needs, SEN, based classrooms for a school (details supplied); when the project will commence; when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58985/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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This project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. The Stage 2(b) report has been reviewed and the Design Team has carried out a final review of all tender documentation and provided my Department with Design Team Confirmations that this final review has been carried out. The pre-qualification process, to select a shortlist of candidates to whom the project will be tendered, is nearing completion. Upon completion, my Department will be in contact with the school Patron with regard to the further progression of this project to the next stage of architectural planning, Stage 3 Tender Stage. Subject to no issues arising, a tender normally takes between 6 and 8 months to complete.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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353. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an extension refurbishment to cater for a long-term projection of enrolment of 1,000 pupils and two special educational needs, SEN, based classrooms for a school (details supplied); when the project will commence; when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58986/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The permanent building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department's Design and Build programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction.

An application for planning permission for a 1,000 pupil post-primary school building, including a 4 classroom Special Educational Needs Unit, was submitted to the relevant Local Authority in June 2021. A Request for Further Information (RFI) was received on 27^thJuly 2021, and my Department’s Project Manager are actively working on the response to the RFI which will issue shortly.

It is not possible to provide an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project to tender and construction stages until such time as the necessary statutory approvals have been secured.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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354. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of projects to increase capacity at a school (details supplied); when the projects will commence; when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58987/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. The Stage 2(b) report has been reviewed and the Design Team have submitted the Design Team Confirmations. The Design Team has recently completed the pre-qualification process.

As this project has a projected cost in excess of €20 million, it is a requirement under the Public Spending Code for the NDFA to carry out a Financial Robustness Check of the shortlist of prequalified main contractors.

Upon completion of this Financial Robustness Check and subject to no issues arising my Department will be in contact with the Design Team and school with regard to the further progression of this project to the next stage of architectural planning, Stage 3 - Tender. Subject to no issues arising a tender normally takes between 6 and 8 months to complete.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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355. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of projects to increase capacity at a school (details supplied); when the projects will commence; when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58988/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The permanent school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has been assigned to my Department’s Design & Build delivery programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction.

The final grant of planning permission for the project was received in March 2021. My Department’s Project Manager together with their Design Team are engaged in the preparation of tender documentation for the project. Once this stage is complete, the project will then proceed to tender stage.

The school opened in interim accommodation in the Citywest Campus in 2020, with additional interim accommodation provided to cater for the 2021/22 school year. My Department will continue to address the interim accommodation requirements for the school and will continue to keep the patron body updated as the project progresses.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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356. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of projects to increase capacity at a school (details supplied); when the projects will commence; when it be will completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58989/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The school to which the Deputy refers was granted approval under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme for 2 general classrooms, 2 standard WC’s, 1 WC for Assisted Users, 1 SET room & replacement of prefabs for 2 General classrooms & 2 Standard WC’s.

A Stage 1/2A report was submitted in June 2020 and was reviewed by my Department's Senior Quantity Surveyor. Subsequently, in October 2020, comments arising from this review issued to the school along with approval to proceed to the planning stage.

The responsibility to progress this project currently rests with school authorities. My Department has recently reached out to the school for a project update. At this point in time, it is too early to predict when Construction Stage will start or when the new rooms will be ready for occupation.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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357. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of projects to increase capacity at a school (details supplied); when the projects will commence; when it be will completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58990/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The school building project to which the Deputy refers has been approved funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019 to enable the school to build a two-classroom SEN Base. Approval to progress this project to Tender Stage issued in June 2021. The project has been devolved for delivery to Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education & Training Board (DDLETB).

Additional costs associated with the Fire and DAC certificates are currently being assessed by DDLETB. When this information has been received in the Department a decision regarding these costs will be conveyed to the ETB which will allow this project to continue to procure for contractors. It is too early at this stage to give an estimated timeline for commencement or completion of this project.

Furthermore, to meet the school's interim accommodation needs, rental for one temporary classroom was approved and is due to be on site by February 2022.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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358. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of projects to increase capacity at a school (details supplied); when the projects will commence; when it be will completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58991/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding under my Additional Accommodation Scheme to purchase modular accommodation containing seven classrooms, one science room and one technology room.

This project was devolved to Dublin Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB) for delivery. The project was approved to construction in June 2018 and has since been completed. The Department is currently in the process of finalising the final account details with DDLETB.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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359. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of projects to increase capacity at a school (details supplied); when the projects will commence; when it be will completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58992/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has been in contact with the patron of the school in question and it has been agreed to increase the enrolment capacity of the school to 1,000 pupils. My Department has already approved interim accommodation for this purpose and this devolved project is currently at construction stage.

My Department is engaging with the patron of the school in question in order to put an appropriate permanent accommodation solution in place.