Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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147. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that the decision to put 58 school building projects on hold (details supplied) has the knock-on effect of further delaying the move of a school from its current temporary location in prefabs to its permanent location, meaning the school has now been waiting 27 years for a permanent home; her views on whether this delay is unacceptable; if she will take urgent and immediate action to prevent this further delay and ensure that the school will be in its permanent location not later than 2025 when it will celebrate its 30 year anniversary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14159/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise that the school referred to by the Deputy will relocate to an existing building currently occupied on an interim basis by another school while awaiting the construction of a building project for that school.

In this regard, the building project for that school is at an advanced stage of the tender process. The project is currently on hold to proceed to construction due to capital funding pressures.

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.

My Department 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. 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.

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 2023/2024 school year.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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148. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the building plans of many schools are being put on hold. [13574/23]

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. 

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.   

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.