Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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489. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the expansion to a double stream school for a national school (details supplied) in County Wicklow. [4854/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy, that My Department received a request for a change of status from the school in question from a single stream fully vertical, co-educational school to a two stream, fully vertical co-educational school from September 2022. 

As part of the assessment process, my Department has taken into account the demographic projections and current capacity for the Greystones school planning area.  These projections indicate that there is already significant additional capacity available and that an increase from a one stream to a two stream status for the school in question is not warranted. In addition to other schools, the school planning area includes a new 24 classroom multi denominational primary school with substantial current capacity for additional enrolments. 

The application from the school in question was assessed by my Department in this context and the school have been notified of the decision.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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490. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a report on the online patronage process system that was opened in 2018 to decide 42 new schools to include name of school and catchment area, type of patronage of each school; if enrolment has opened on the schools; if the schools have temporary sites or permanent sites or both identified; the stage the building of these schools is at; when they are expected to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4855/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the information requested relating to the 42 new schools, announced in 2018, is set out in tabular format for ease of reference.  

When a new school is being established to cater for demographic need a patronage process is run. This patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. Parental preferences for each patron, from parents of children who reside in the school planning areas concerned, together with the extent of diversity currently available in these areas, are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of this process.

The Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) has been developed by the Department to provide objective information to all parents and guardians which will allow them to make an informed choice in expressing a preference for their preferred model of patronage for their child’s education.

The patronage process for new schools is overseen by an external independent advisory group, the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG). Following their consideration of the Department’s assessment reports, the NSEG will submit a report with recommendations to the Minister for consideration and final decision. The assessment reports and the NSEG recommendations for all such patronage processes are available on the Department's website (www.education.ie) and gov.ie.

All school building projects are progressed through the preliminary and detailed design stages aligning to my Department's Design Team Procedures prior to proceeding to tender and construction. These stages ensure that all projects are designed against the twin benchmarks of quality and cost control. Under these procedures my Department engages with the Project Manger to ensure that high standards in respect of both benchmarks are met. My Department constantly endeavours to progress projects through the stages of architectural planning, tender and construction in the shortest timeframes possible consistent with ensuring high quality and cost effective design.

As with all school building projects, pre planning meetings are required with the Local Authority in advance of preparing a Planning Application. This is to ensure the highest probability of a successful planning application in the shortest time possible. A considerable amount of work is required following the pre-planning meeting to prepare a suitably detailed application. The Department must await a decision on planning from the local authority. A notification to grant planning can be received after 8 weeks, although there is a possibility for the Local Authority to request further information (RFI). There is always also the possibility of an An Bord Pleanala Appeal (ABP) and if this occurs it may add a further six to eight months or more to the final planning decision date.  If planning is delayed, the Department has to put contingency arrangements in place to support the operation of schools.  

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

Post Primary

Building Project

Site Acquisition - site may be acquired by the Department or by the school's patron

Project Brief stage - this includes determining the project brief and schedule of accommodation

Stage 1 - Preliminary

Stage 2 - Design (which is divided into Stage 2a - Developed Sketch Scheme and Stage 2b - Detailed Design)

Stage 3 - Tender Action, Evaluation and Award

Stage 4 - Construction

* Pre-designated as an Irish-medium school

Primary

Building Project

Site Acquisition - site may be acquired by the Department or by the school's patron

Project Brief stage - this includes determining the project brief and schedule of accommodation

Stage 1 - Preliminary

Stage 2 - Design (which is divided into Stage 2a - Developed Sketch Scheme and Stage 2b - Detailed Design)

Stage 3 - Tender Action, Evaluation and Award

Stage 4 - Construction

* Pre-designated as an Irish-medium school