Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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678. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the pause placed on 58 new school buildings; if current delays are expected to affect the 2023-2024, 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 academic school years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13021/23]

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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679. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will report on her representations to the Minister for Public Expenditure in respect of capital funding pressures preventing the construction of 58 schools; and if she drew his attention to the shortfall for construction of schools in advance of Budget 2023, in particular. [13022/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 678 and 679 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.

Under Project Ireland 2040, we are investing €4.4 billion over the period 2021 to 2025, to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost one million students and over 100,000 staff that learn and work in our schools every day.

My Department is 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 my 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.

The strong level of delivery is a key driver of capital pressures in the Department. In addition to the normal pressures on the school building budget, there are also additional pressures in the context of requirement to accelerate delivery of accommodation for children with Special Education Needs and also in respect of capacity for continued inflow of Ukrainian and other IP students – particularly at post-primary level where accommodation pressures are more acute

My Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for the remainder of 2023 in the context of its available funding. My Department's published NDP allocation for 2023 is €860 million. Over 70% of the NDP allocation for 2023 is needed to cover expenditure on contractual commitments on existing projects at construction carried forward from 2022. High construction inflation remains a continuing feature of the construction sector for 2023. As part of its planning ahead for the remainder of 2023, my Department is at the advanced stages of engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to capital funding pressures in order to continue to adequately support the operation of the school system with rollout of school building projects to construction in 2023.

Progress has been made and the Department is anxious to bring this to resolution very soon. My Department wants to reassure the Deputy and the relevant school communities that school building projects that are currently on hold due to capital funding pressures will be progressed and delivered – it is a question of timing. My Department is aware of the urgency in getting these projects delivered as quickly as possible. The outcome of our engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform will provide better clarity on the timelines for the progression of these projects. This is a key priority for my Department having engaged directly with Minister Donohue on this matter and will continue to do so with a view to getting our funding pressures resolved as quickly as possible.

I think it is best for communications to be done at individual school level and that is the approach we have taken. The Department will be providing an update to individual schools when our engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform concludes. In tandem with this, my Department’s Planning & Building Unit will also be updating Patron Bodies and School Management Bodies at that stage.

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 current status of all projects are listed on a county by county basis at www.gov.ie. and is updated on a regular basis to reflect their progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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680. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will urgently review the current situation regarding a school (details supplied) given the school is ready to proceed to construction despite waiting 12 years for the new school; when she expects to have the situation resolved; when the school can expect to get the long-awaited project underway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13026/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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A major building project for the school in question has been devolved for delivery to Louth County Council.

Following submission of the Tender Report, the Department recently authorised Louth County Council to issue the Letter of Intent to the preferred tenderer. The Supplementary Tender Report was subsequently submitted to the Department in recent weeks and is currently under review. The Department will make contact with Louth County Council following completion of this review.

Running parallel to the review of this particular Supplementary Tender Report, the 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.

We will be providing an update to individual schools when our engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform concludes. In tandem with this, my Department’s Planning & Building Unit will also be updating Patron Bodies and School Management Bodies at that stage. 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 current status of all projects are listed on a county by county basis at www.gov.ie. and is updated on a regular basis to reflect their progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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681. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will list the school building projects in County Meath that have been stalled due to capital funding constraints; if she will outline the implications this will have on project costs and delivery; how and when she will address this delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13030/23]

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.

Under Project Ireland 2040, we are investing €4.4 billion over the period 2021 to 2025, to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost one million students and over 100,000 staff that learn and work in our schools every day.

My Department is 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 my 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.

The strong level of delivery is a key driver of capital pressures in the Department. In addition to the normal pressures on the school building budget, there are also additional pressures in the context of requirement to accelerate delivery of accommodation for children with Special Education Needs and also in respect of capacity for continued inflow of Ukrainian and other IP students – particularly at post-primary level where accommodation pressures are more acute

My Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for the remainder of 2023 in the context of its available funding. My Department's published NDP allocation for 2023 is €860 million. Over 70% of the NDP allocation for 2023 is needed to cover expenditure on contractual commitments on existing projects at construction carried forward from 2022. High construction inflation remains a continuing feature of the construction sector for 2023. As part of its planning ahead for the remainder of 2023, my Department is at the advanced stages of engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to capital funding pressures in order to continue to adequately support the operation of the school system with rollout of school building projects to construction in 2023.

Progress has been made and the Department is anxious to bring this to resolution very soon. My Department wants to reassure the Deputy and the relevant school communities that school building projects that are currently on hold due to capital funding pressures will be progressed and delivered – it is a question of timing. My Department is aware of the urgency in getting these projects delivered as quickly as possible. The outcome of our engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform will provide better clarity on the timelines for the progression of these projects. This is a key priority for my Department having engaged directly with Minister Donohue on this matter and will continue to do so with a view to getting our funding pressures resolved as quickly as possible.

I think it is best for communications to be done at individual school level and that is the approach we have taken. The Department will be providing an update to individual schools, including any schools impacted in County Meath, when our engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform concludes. In tandem with this, my Department’s Planning & Building Unit will also be updating Patron Bodies and School Management Bodies at that stage.

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 current status of all projects are listed on a county by county basis at www.gov.ie. and is updated on a regular basis to reflect their progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.