Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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327. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a contractor will be appointed to a project (details supplied) in view of the very severe lack of adequate facilities currently available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6655/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The school to which the Deputy refers to was approved funding under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) Scheme for the provision of a 3 classroom special educational needs (SEN) base, Toilets, Staff room, DCC room, and ancillary accommodation. I can confirm to the Deputy that the school has recently submitted a tender report for review by my Department Official's.

My Department has a strong track record of delivery of school building projects and this was achieved again in 2022 notwithstanding the wider construction sector environment of high inflation, labour shortages and supply chain issues. There were circa. 180 school building projects delivered during 2022 and a further 273 school building projects continued in construction at the start of 2023 - most of which will be completed in 2023.

I am very appreciative of the strong support provided by Government for our education budget. As part of the supplementary budget, €300m additional capital funding was provided in 2022. This helped to alleviate capital funding pressures that arose in 2022 which was reflective of the strong delivery by the Department of school building projects – particularly to support mainstream provision and special education needs provision. My Department’s overall capital outturn for 2022 was €1.12 billion.

My Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 in the context of its available funding. My Department's published NDP allocation for 2023 is €0.86 billion. High construction inflation remains a continuing feature of the construction sector for 2023. As part of its planning ahead for 2023, my Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to capital funding pressures in order to continue to be able to adequately support the operation of the school system with rollout of school building projects to construction in 2023.