Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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265. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will instruct her Department, to reconsider the decision to put the construction of a new building for a school (details supplied) in Citywest on hold, given the negative impact this will have on the staff and students of two schools in close proximity to one another; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14459/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The permanent school building project for the site referred to by the Deputy is a campus project to deliver a 1,000 pupil post-primary school and accommodation, including four classrooms, for children with special educational needs and a 16 classroom primary school and accommodation, including two classrooms, for children with special educational needs. The campus project is being delivered under my Department's Design and Build programme.

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. 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.

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. This is a key priority for me.

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.

My Department will continue to liaise with the schools' patron bodies in relation to the schools' interim accommodation needs pending delivery of the permanent accommodation.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme.

The project will provide the following accommodation at the school: 8 Mainstream classrooms, 3 SET rooms, 1 room for shared HSL Teacher, 1 SEN Class, reconfiguration of existing accommodation to provide a 3 Class SEN Base, GP Hall and Ancillary Accommodation as outlined in the project brief; Purchase of 3 interim accommodation to accommodate 2 mainstream classrooms, 2 SET and 1 ASD class. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. This project is currently at the Design stage and a Stage 1/2a report is required to be submitted at this time. Once received, this will be reviewed by my Department.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the school has also been approved for a Summer Works Scheme external environment works project.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has recently approved the amalgamation of the Summer Works Scheme project with the Additional Accommodation Scheme project. An update in relation to this has issued from my Department to the school Board of Management.

The 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.

The Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 in the context of its available funding. The Department's published National Development Plan (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, the 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.

Key priorities for the 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.