Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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26. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current status of the much anticipated permanent school building project for a school (details supplied) in Drogheda; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34721/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Agreement in principle has been reached to acquire a site for the school referred to by the Deputy. Contracts for sale for the site have been signed, conditional on the landowner providing required infrastructure upgrades to serve the site. My Department has been advised that these upgrades are programmed to be completed by the end of July 2022. 

The project to provide the permanent building for the school referred to by the Deputy is in early architectural planning which involves site surveys, school design stages and the preparation of statutory applications.  

As with all school building projects, pre-planning meetings are required with the Local Authority in advance of preparing a Planning Application to ensure the highest probability of a successful planning application in the shortest time possible.  

A pre-planning meeting was held with the Local Authority on  31st March 2022. A considerable amount of work is required following the pre-planning meeting to prepare a suitably detailed application.

The school is currently located in interim accommodation on the school’s permanent site and a final grant of planning permission for additional interim accommodation for the school on the site for the 2022/23 school year was received on 23rd May 2022. Enrolments for the school year 2021/22 were 182 pupils. The school expects to have a first year intake of a further 96 pupils for the 2022/23 school year.  

The building project, when complete, will provide a new 1000 pupil post-primary school including 4 classrooms for children with special educational needs and all ancillary accommodation.