James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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618. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) is in line/plans for a school extension utilising the available lands at the rear of the school which have been earmarked/identified for this purpose. [37723/23]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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617. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37721/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 618 and 617 together.

I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is not in receipt of any applications from the school in question in relation to the purchase of land, or plans to extend the school building.

It is open to the school to apply for the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme. The purpose of my Department’s ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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619. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a school project (details supplied); if further progress has been made on the site; to provide the relevant timeframes in terms of progression; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37724/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The permanent school building project 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.

Representatives of the school have viewed the plans for the new school in advance of submitting the planning application, which is expected to be submitted to the local authority in Quarter 4 of 2023.

It is not possible to provide a timeframe for the progression of the project to tender and construction stages until such time as the necessary statutory approvals have been secured.

The Department will continue to keep the school and its patron body updated as the project progresses.