Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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293. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the building works at a school (details supplied); when the project will move past the tender stage; when the school and parents can expect for the project to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16105/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The major project referred to by the Deputy is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award.

A tender report was received by Department Officials in 2023, in the course of the review it was noted that the planning permission was due to expire in early December 2023 and a new planning permission was required.

We are liaising with the Design team in relation to requirements for the New Planning Permission and the Design Team held a pre-planning meeting with Fingal County Council in March 2024.

We will be in contact with the School and the Design Team when there is further information in relation to the tender process.

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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294. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for further clarification on the process involved in issuing a letter of intent; the average time required for issuing a letter of intent; the current delay in issuing the letter of intent for an extension building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16108/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The large-scale capital project referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which will be delivered under the National Development Plan (NDP) as part of Project Ireland 2040 framework.

The project is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. The tender report is under review by my department, the next step in the process is the authorisation to issue the Letter of Intent. Once the Letter of Intent issues, there is a minimum 14-day standstill period before there can be further progression of the project. The period between Letter of Intent and Letter of Acceptance varies depending on the project and the extent of post-tender clarifications required.

I want to reassure the Deputy and the school community, that the school building project will be progressed and delivered.

All departments, including the Department of Education, have to control the timing and scope of capital projects to remain within agreed budgetary parameters.

Additional capital funding for investment in schools was confirmed on 26 March, as part of a wider review of National Development Plan (NDP) allocations. This will support the continued roll-out of the Department’s ambitious school building programme in communities across the country. There are many accommodation pressures to be managed across the programme, and the Department is currently assessing our work programme and priorities in the context of the updated allocations.

My Department will advise the School Authorities as soon as possible with regard to the progression of the major project to the next stage.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The permanent school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy 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 and an eight classroom primary school and accommodation, including two classrooms for children with special educational needs.

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. 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.

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

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