Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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338. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the review of her Department’s overall requirements for 2023 and associated work programme will be completed; and when work will recommence on a project (details supplied). [9562/23]

Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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360. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address the concerns raised by a school (details supplied) regarding its permanent school accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10010/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 360 together.

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 roll-out 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.

The permanent school building project for the site referred to by the Deputy is a campus project to deliver a 1,000 pupil post primary school and accommodation, including four classrooms, for children with special educational needs and a 16 classroom primary school and accommodation, including two classrooms, for children with special educational needs.

The campus project is being delivered under my Department's Design and Build programme. The application for planning permission for the campus project was lodged with Dublin City Council on 31st May 2021. The initial grant of planning was received on 22nd July 2021 and was subsequently the subject of a third party appeal to An Bord Pleanála. The decision by An Bord Pleanála to grant planning permission for the campus development was received on 1st April 2022.

My Department will continue to liaise with the school and their patron body in relation to the school’s accommodation needs pending delivery of the permanent accommodation.