Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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122. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the review of the extension project at a school (details supplied); and when that review will be complete. [14245/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question was approved significant capital funding under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme and this project is currently devolved to the school authorities for delivery. 

The capital funding was for the provision of 16 x Mainstream classrooms, 4 x SET rooms, a large amount of specialist teaching rooms and 4 classrooms for students with special educational needs. 

In addition to this project, modular accommodation was also approved under the ASA Scheme to cater for growing enrolments at the school in question. My Department is currently engaging with the school patron in respect of the required scope of the modular accommodation, in consideration of both technical challenges and capital funding constraints.

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.

The key drivers of capital investment in the schools sector are as follows:

- demographic change, including keeping pace with delivery of SEN and accommodation for Ukrainian pupils particularly at Post Primary

- ensuring alignment with housing provision as best as possible,

- construction costs,

- Delivering on the Climate Agenda in the schools sector. 

Key achievements by my Department in 2022 include:

- There were circa. 180 school building projects delivered during 2022 and a further 300 school building projects remained under construction at the start of 2023 – the majority of which will be completed over the course of this year and early 2024. In this regard, it is worth noting that there were over 50 new school buildings under construction over the course of 2022.  This is providing high quality new and modern facilities in schools throughout the country.

- Accelerated delivery of modular accommodation to facilitate additional capacity in special classes and special schools to cater for over 900 children with additional needs.

- Successfully supported and facilitated the enrolment of circa 15,000 children from Ukraine in our primary and post-primary schools.  It is worth highlighting that our approach is based on integration and inclusion that supports both the educational and wellbeing of the children that have come to Ireland as a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine.  

- Necessary refurbishment and maintenance through small-scale works across nearly 1,000 schools.

- 16 Deep Energy Retrofit Pathfinder projects ongoing in partnership with SEAI which is shaping our direction of travel for delivering on the climate agenda in the schools sector.  

- Strategic initiatives put in place to support planning for school provision requirements include the Department’s Geographic Information System, National Inventory of School Capacity, engagement with key stakeholders and also setting up of 16 Regional Education and Language Teams (REALTs) to facilitate enrolment of children from Ukraine in a structured and coordinated manner.

- Strategic initiatives put in place to support delivery include use of project manager supports, procurement frameworks, variety of delivery mechanisms and a strong pipeline of projects.  

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 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.

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 the remainder of 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 adequately support the operation of the school system with rollout of school building projects to construction in 2023. 

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. I am well 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.

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.