Written answers

Thursday, 15 September 2022

Department of Education and Skills

Schools Building Projects

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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224. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a project under the School Building Programme for a school (details supplied); and the timeframe for delivery of the works. [45200/22]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The joint major building project for the schools referred to by the Deputy will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT Programme. ADAPT is an acronym which stands for the "Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning and Tendering".

The ADAPT Programme uses a professional external Project Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Design Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning to Tender and Construction.

Since their appointment in May 2022, the Project Managers and my Department have been engaging in fortnightly briefing meetings in respect of all the major school building projects included in this Programme, including these 2 schools.

As part of their familiarisation review, the Project Managers have also recently visited the 2 schools. The process to appoint a Design Team will shortly be put in train by the Project Manager.

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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225. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a School Building Programme project for a school (details supplied); if further temporary accommodation will be provided; and the number of special needs classes that are to be instated. [45205/22]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects.

The NDFA is currently undertaking the process of appointment of multi-disciplinary technical advisors (design teams) for these projects. Thereafter, it will ensure that the project progresses to design stage, obtains the necessary statutory planning permission, and moves the project onward to tender and construction in due course.

My Department is working to identify what the interim accommodation requirements of the school might be, taking into account some potential capacity at other schools in the area and the residential development activity in the area.

The brief for this project includes provision of a 4-classroom Special Education Needs Base for the school.

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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226. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a project for a school (details supplied); if further temporary accommodation will be provided; and the number of special needs classes that are to be instated. [45206/22]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, there is a planned expansion of the capacity of the patronage of the school referred to in the area from 16-classrooms to 32-classrooms. This is linked to a major school building project for a new school building which will facilitate the expansion of another school in the area from 16 classrooms to 32 classrooms. In total, an additional 32 mainstream primary classes and 4 additional classes for students with special education needs are being provided between the two schools.

Officials in my Department are currently working to identify whether there is a requirement for an interim accommodation solution pending delivery of this major project, taking into account some potential capacity at other schools in the area and ongoing residential development activity. My Department will engage further with the school in this respect.

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