Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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410. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a minor works grant payment will be issued to a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay with this payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8457/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

During 2022, 180 school building projects were delivered and a further 300 continued in construction at the start of 2023 - most of which will be completed in 2023. There was also accelerated delivery of modular accommodation to facilitate additional capacity in special classes and special schools to cater for over 900 children with additional needs. In addition, there was necessary refurbishment and maintenance in nearly 1,000 schools under the Multi-annual Summer Works Scheme and the Emergency Works Scheme.

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. The timeline for the payment of the next tranche of minor grant funding to primary schools will be considered within this overall context.

My Department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. The funding provides good flexibility at local level to assist schools to manage and undertake works that support the operation of the school. This is done in order to facilitate a better lead in period for schools to plan any maintenance or minor works during the summer period.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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411. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress of an application to the major capital improvement works by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8473/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The project referred to by the Deputy is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. A tender process can take between 8-12 months to complete, subject to no issues arising.

My Department has a large pipeline of projects for delivery under the school building programme, including the project referred to by the Deputy. The main elements of this pipeline currently involve in excess of 1,300 school building projects for delivery under my Department’s Large Scale and Additional Accommodation Scheme. These projects are currently in progress across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction.

My Department is currently assessing overall requirements for 2023 and associated work programme and will update individual schools of same in due course.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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412. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress of an application to the major capital improvement works by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8474/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Key priorities for my Department's work programme include continuing strong delivery to support the operation of the school system with particular regard to planning ahead for the 2023/24 school year and beyond and also with particular regard to supporting special needs provision. The school to which the Deputy refers is among the many school accommodation needs across the country being considered as part of this process.

My Department’s overall approach is to ensure that available capacity is maximised to the greatest extent possible as part of its consideration of applications for additional accommodation. Additionally, my Department is working to ensure that projects in the pipeline for planning and delivery are focused on maximising their alignment with overall capacity requirements. Engagement with relevant patrons will be important in this regard.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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413. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress of an application to the emergency works scheme by a school (details supplied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8475/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to inform the Deputy that the school in question applied for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme to carry out repairs to the roof on the 14th of February 2023.

The emergency works project for the repairs to the roof of the school was approved on the 15th of February 2023. As this is a devolved project the responsibility for progressing the project lies with the School Authority.