Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 425 of 18 October 2022, if she will provide an update on the status of a project for a school (details supplied); and the timeframe for the commencement and completion of this long awaited school build. [10285/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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 €860 million.  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.  I can confirm to the Deputy that the standard Minor Works Grant, of €30 million, for primary schools for the current school year (2022/2023) was paid in December 2021 plus a further €15 million enhanced Minor Works Grant was also granted in December 2021 to primary schools as part of additional support in the context of COVID-19.

With regard to the permanent school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy, a pre-planning meeting with the Local Authority was held on 30th June 2022, the discussions from which are informing the progression of the re-design and the preparation of the planning application for the school on its permanent site. The next milestone for the project will be the submission of the planning application to the local authority.  The Board of Management of the school will be invited to view the plans for the new school in advance of the planning application being submitted .

In the interim, 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.