Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested around €4.5 billion in schools throughout the country. Around 800 school building projects have been completed and 300 other projects are under construction.

This level of construction roll-out recognises the priority that Government puts on investment in education. New medium term capital allocations for the Department of Education were confirmed in the recent review of National Development Plan allocations.

School building projects under construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion with most of these projects due for completion in 2024 and 2025. This is a record level of investment and highlights the Department’s very strong track record in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities.

The permanent school building project for Clonturk Community College is part of a shared educational campus project at Swords Road, Whitehall, Dublin 9.

This important project, when complete, will deliver two 1,000 pupil post-primary schools and accommodation, including six classrooms, for children with special educational needs for Clonturk Community College and Ellenfield Community College. The project will also deliver an eight classroom primary school building and accommodation, including two classrooms for children with special educational needs for Gaelscoil áine.

The project will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT 4 Programme - Programme Innovate, which comprises some 30 schools to be delivered in two phases. This campus project has been identified to commence in Lot 1 of the first phase.

Programme Innovate is the fourth generation of the ADAPT – or Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning & Tendering - Programme. The programme vision is to create schools that support an inclusive and inspiring learning environment using sustainable design and construction approaches. The ADAPT Programme uses a professional external Project Manager to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning to Tender and Construction.

Programme Innovate also seeks to create project delivery and design solutions that are innovative, flexible and adaptable, delivering the next programme of school designs with an enhanced programmatic approach.

It is intended that the programme will be delivered as employer-led design contracts, underpinned by a strong procurement approach. The external Project Manager will assist the Department in the development and co-ordination of the programme throughout its lifecycle.

The Project Manager was appointed in Q3 2023 and is in the process of preparing documentation for the tender process for the appointment of multidisciplinary design team consultants.

As with all school building projects, the timeframe for delivery of the project will be dependent on securing the grant of planning permission.

At present, there are five stages of architectural planning involved in the delivery of major school projects. The period of time it takes to progress through each of the stages varies from project to project depending on its size and complexity.

The Department will keep the schools and their patron bodies informed of the progression of this campus project.