Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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100. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reinstate priority approval for a school (details supplied) given the new building has now been put on hold. [14130/23]

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 overall requirements and available funding. 

Our most immediate priorities are to cater for September 2023 requirements.

We are 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 tender and construction in 2023 and minimise project delays to the greatest extent possible.

This includes the major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy, due to proceed to tender.

Prior to the major project being progressed to tender, an enabling works is required to underground ESB cables at the site for the new school. These works are to be carried out in the near future, in conjunction with ESBN Ireland and the Local Authority.

I want 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.

The Department will update the School Authorities when there is further clarity on the progression of the major project.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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101. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will outline her discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan delivery and Reform on the provision of additional capital to support the schools building programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14089/23]

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. 

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.