James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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79. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she can provide an update on new school builds for 2023 and new school builds in the Cork East constituency; if she can provide an update on a specific school build (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22891/23]

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: 6 x General classrooms, 1 x Technical Graphics room, 1 x Woodwork room, 2 x Science room + shared Preparation area, 1 x Home Economics room, 2 x SEN Base, Ancillary Toilets, Lockers and Social area.

This project was approved to Planning Stage in 2022 by officials in my Department and has been devolved for delivery to the school authority.

In terms of new school buildings in the Cork East constituency, a number of major building projects are either currently at assessment stage or working their way through the stages of architectural planning. Across the country, my Department has a proven track record of delivery, with over 180 projects completed last year within a challenging construction sector environment of high inflation, labour shortages and supply chain issues. This year alone, in excess of 300 school building projects are currently under construction, including 40 new school buildings and 260 projects at existing schools.

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.

Key priorities for my Department are supporting the operation of the school system and adding necessary capacity to cater for special education needs provision, mainstream demographics and catering for students from Ukraine and other countries under the International Protection system.

As you are aware, an agreement was secured with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in recent weeks to guarantee and support the rollout and continuation of my Department’s ambitious school building programme. The agreement reached on 5th April is facilitating the continued rollout of urgently required school building projects in both mainstream and special education settings, including the projects that were temporarily paused due to capital funding pressures.

Officials from my Department have updated each of these schools in relation to the formal arrangements and next steps in respect of the delivery of their individual projects. The current status of all projects is 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.