Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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509. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on a project for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56792/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval under the Additional School Accommodation scheme has issued to the school in question for the provision of two projects.

The first project, for a Mainstream Modular classroom, is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. This programme provides project management supports to enable the accommodation to be provided as quickly as possible and helps to ease the administrative workload for individual schools in relation to the management and delivery of the project.

Kerrigan Sheanan Newman Construction Consultants (KSN) has been appointed, from the Department’s Framework, to design and tender the project. This consultant is leading the project through the various stages of planning process and construction. The School Authority has devolved responsibility for delivery of this project.

This modular accommodation is due on site on the 15^thJanuary 2024 with an expected completion date of Q1 2024.

The second project is for 2 Classrooms Special Educational Needs Base (SEN) 439m2 and rental of one 100m2 modular classroom under the Department's traditional ASA stream. A revised Stage 1 and 2a report was received by the Department which is under review by officials in the Department’s Professional and Technical team.The School Authority will be advised on the outcome of the review when completed.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme.

The brief for this project is to provide a new 8 classroom primary school and accommodation, including 2 classrooms, for children with special educational needs.

The project will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT Programme which uses a professional external Project Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Design Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning, to Tender and Construction.

The Department will continue to keep the school and its patron body informed of the progression of this project.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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511. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the plan to build a permanent extension at a school (details supplied) in light of the initial design difficulties that have resulted in significant delays. [56816/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The project to which the Deputy refers, was approved a project to cater for a school with 1,300 students, which was devolved for delivery to Dublin Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB).

My Department officials have met with DDLETB in order to review significant technical challenges identified on the site and to assist DDLETB progress the project forward. DDLETB are now engaged in identifying options to advance the project to the next stage.

In order to address the immediate enrolment requirements of the school, my Department approved modular accommodation comprised of three mainstream classrooms - a home economics room, and an art room. This is expected to be practically completed shortly.

It is not possible to give a time frame for the delivery of the permanent accommodation at this time. However, as indicated, my Department has and will continue to work closely with the school authority and DDLETB in order to identify the most appropriate solution for the wider education community in the area and to ensure that any essential interim accommodation is put in place as required.

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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512. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further Parliamentary Question No. 100 of 30 November 2023, for an outline of and update on the smaller student accommodation projects which are at various stages of planning and delivery throughout Dublin mid-west. [56825/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that the purpose of my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation or at other schools in an area. Where there is a need for accelerated delivery of such accommodation my Department utilises Modern Methods of Construction, including my Department's Modular Accommodation Framework, to meet the accommodation need. My Department has additionally put Project Management provision in place to support schools in the expedited delivery of this accommodation.

My Department has a large pipeline of projects for delivery under the school building programme, including the Dublin mid-west area. The main elements of this pipeline currently involve in excess of 1,300 school building projects for delivery under the Department’s Large Scale and Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme. These projects are currently in progress across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction.

Details of large-scale and ASA projects being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed on my Department's website at www.gov.ieand this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.

For ease of reference, the current status of recent ASA projects in the Lucan, Clondalkin and Newcastle_Rathcoole School Planning Areas is listed below: