Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The school to which the Deputy refers is a two-classroom school that is in the Department’s pipeline for a modular accommodation project. The current enrolment at the school is 40 pupils which is a decrease of two pupils from last year.

The project is being managed on a devolved basis by the school authority. The brief for the project is to replace the existing accommodation with a new modular unit that consists of two 80 square metre mainstream classrooms, as well as one Special Education Teaching room, one office space, one staff room and a small reception or lobby area.

The project is at tender stage. Tender documents and the tender report for this project were received in my Department in October 2023. The lowest tenderer for the project has withdrawn from the tender competition which is resulting in significantly increased costs. The tender documentation and tender report is being reviewed by my Department from a technical and cost perspective. This analysis is being done in accordance with the requirements of the Public Spending Code to ensure the proposed project is fully assessed from a value from money perspective. This analysis is ongoing and the school authority will be kept updated on progress.

My Department is also conscious that this school is in an area of decreasing enrolments at primary level and will be seeking updated information from the Patron and the school in relation to enrolments and projections and impact on neighbouring schools. This information will contribute to the aforementioned analysis.

I want to assure the Deputy that my Department has a strong track record of delivery and our main focus is on ensuring every child has a school place.

Since 2020 we have invested in the region of €3.5 billion in our schools throughout the country involving the completion of over 690 school building projects with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects. School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion. We also have 200 modular accommodation projects that are very well advanced for delivery or at construction stage. This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities.

In conclusion, I want to assure the Deputy that I am committed to ensuring appropriate accommodation is available for the pupils of Tubber National School. My Department will ensure that this project - as for all projects on our school building programme - is subject to the due diligence required under the Public Spending Code and represents good value for money for the State.

Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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79. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to ensure that the development of new schools supports the national planning framework objectives of compact growth and reducing urban sprawl; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52871/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The designation of school sites to serve existing, expanding and new communities is the function of local authorities, in consultation with my Department, through the statutory development plan process.

My Department’s Statutory Plans Co-ordinating Unit actively engages with the statutory planning process to ensure that sufficient land is zoned to provide appropriate sites for new school buildings or the extension of existing ones. It is within the Local Authority’s remit to ensure that land is appropriately zoned for educational purposes.

Local authorities in their statutory plans, are required to be consistent with the National Planning Framework’s objectives in respect of compact growth. Statutory plans must include details of where future growth is to be distributed within the relevant area over the lifetime of the plan, together with details of population and household projections and the quantum of lands to be zoned for residential and mixed uses. These details must be consistent with the regeneration and redevelopment targets identified for existing built-up locations by the National Planning Framework for the relevant area.

My Department engages actively with the statutory planning process and is proactive in its expression of support for compact growth initiatives as they are outlined in the relevant statutory plans. Furthermore, where future population projections for an area indicate the likely future need for a new school or the extension of an existing one to serve that area, my Department requests that a suitable and appropriate site be zoned in the statutory plan to cater for a future need.

Simultaneously, in order to plan for school provision in existing built-up locations, my Department also engages in an ongoing analysis of demographic data and residential development to identify where the pressure for school places in these areas across the country will arise. 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 schools,

•Provision of a new school or schools.

Sites that are zoned for school provision need to be appropriately located in order to maximise sustainable travel modes.

The local authorities take my Department's requirements along with other social, community and economic requirements, including housing need, into consideration when forming a development plan.

My Department has published guidelines to assist in the identification and assessment for suitability of new sites for schools, where the procurement of a new site is required.

These guidance documents, which are available on gov.ie, recommend that as part of the evaluation of site suitability, a number of factors are taken into account including zoning, location, existing services, site orientation, topography, transport and access.

The school site selection process is supported by a Site Acquisition Management consultancy team. This team provides a report to officials in my Department, identifying potential school sites. The suitability of these sites is ranked based on a number of criteria including:

•Zoning and Development Plan provisions,

•Accessibility and sustainable transport modes,

•Proximity to the population to be served, and

•Proximity to services.

My Department also engages with local authorities to seek their views when evaluating identified shortlisted sites. This then informs which sites should undergo further technical appraisal.

When a school site is acquired and a building project is progressed, the school design is submitted for planning permission to the local authority. The local authority evaluates the environmental impact of the school development and links to sustainable transport as part of the planning process.