Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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368. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a new school building for (details supplied); how updates are being communicated to school management; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14666/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The site identification and assessment exercise for Wicklow Town ETSS is ongoing.

Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally I am not in a position to comment further at this time. I can, however, assure you that the provision of a new site for Wicklow Town ETSS is a priority for the Department and that the patron body will be informed as soon as it is possible to do so.

Once a permanent site has been acquired, the project can progress to the architectural design & planning stages.

Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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369. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a new school building for (details supplied); how updates are being communicated to school management; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14667/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As you will be aware, a major capital project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being addressed through the Department’s Construction Programme. This project is currently at stage 2b of the architectural planning process.

In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. Current and planned residential development activity, as well as Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets, additionally inform my Department’s forecasts of school place needs.

Where data indicates that additional provision is required at primary or post primary level, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:

- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools

- Extending the capacity of a school or school

- Provision of a new school or schools.

My Department has been engaging with Kildare Wicklow Education & Training Board (KWETB), as patron of the school, regarding the long-term accommodation needs of the school in question and my Department is currently further reviewing the demographics for the Blessington School Planning Area (SPA) in that context.

My Department has also been working with KWETB to ensure that there is sufficient accommodation in place to meet the interim needs of the school, pending the delivery of the main project.

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 €0.86 billion. High construction and 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.

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 school referred to by the Deputy is among the many school accommodation needs across the country being considered as part of this process.

My Department’s overall approach is to ensure that available capacity is maximised to the greatest extent possible as part of its consideration of applications for additional accommodation. Additionally, my Department is working to ensure that projects in the pipeline for planning and delivery are focused on maximising their alignment with overall capacity requirements. Engagement with relevant patrons will be important in this regard.

The Department is currently considering the long-term capacity requirements in the Blessington area, taking into account existing demographic requirements as well as current and future residential developments in the area. It is important that school building projects take appropriate account of the longer-term needs of an area, as well as ensuring that the immediate school place requirements can be facilitated. Officials will continue to engage with KWETB in this regard. A solution to address the school's interim accommodation needs is also being progressed.

I can confirm that the provision of required school places, including for children with special educational needs, is a priority for my Department and my officials are working to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet the school place needs in Blessington for 2023 and future years.

Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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370. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a new school building for (details supplied); how updates are being communicated to school management; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14668/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The permanent accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Management team to progress the project through the stages of architectural planning, tendering and construction.

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 am conscious of the numerous pressures facing the Department and their need to manage these.

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.

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 school’s patron body in relation to the school’s interim accommodation needs pending delivery of the permanent accommodation for the school.

Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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371. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills he position regarding a new school building for a school (details supplied); the timeline for its completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14675/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.

Newtownmountkennedy is in the Kilcoole school planning area. The most recent projections indicate an increase in requirements at post primary level up to 2026 followed by a projected reduction in enrolments thereafter.

However, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:

- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area

- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area

- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school they are not available to all pupils

- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area

As the Deputy may be aware, a major building project for the existing post primary school, Coláiste Chraobh Abhann , Kilcoole, Co.Wicklow is included in my Department's school building programme. The project is currently at Stage 2b (detailed design). When the project is completed, the school will have capacity to accommodate 1,000 pupils as well as classes for pupils with special education needs.

In addition, the Deputy will be aware , since April 2018, the Government announced plans for the establishment of 47 new schools. This included a new post primary school for the Kilcoole and Greystones school planning area as a regional solution and the school, Greystones Community College, opened in interim accommodation for the 2020/2021 academic year. The building project, to construct a permanent school building, which will have capacity for 1,000 pupils as well as accommodation for pupils with special education needs is currently at stage 2b (detailed design).

A building project for St David's Secondary School, Greystones is currently under construction, currently at stage 4 and when completed will provide capacity for 750 pupils. My Department is satisfied that the delivery of these building projects will cater for future demand in the area in the short to medium term.

The requirement for additional school places is kept under on-going review, including those which may arise in the Kilcoole school planning area. Additionally, my Department will continue to liaise with Wicklow County Council in respect of its review of the County Development Plan with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across the county.