Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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173. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 191 of 25 April 2024, to clarify the number of classrooms in the new building project; if the original application by her Department included a total of 20 classrooms; if this has changed; if so, the reason therefor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21011/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The school referred to by the deputy was announced by the Minister in December 2019 as an 8 classroom primary school with 2 classrooms for children with special educational needs.

Subsequently, in May 2020, due to a demographic review this project was revised to a 16 classroom primary school with 2 classrooms for children with special educational needs.

The project was subsequently allocated an additional 2 classrooms for children with special educational needs in April 2023 following a further review.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to was approved to enter my Department’s pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide the following accommodation: 14 General classroom, 2 SEN base, 7 SET rooms, 1 Music room, 1 Art room and project store, 1 Home Economics room, 1 Construction room and project store, 1 DCG room, 2 Science laboratories and preparation area, 1 Technology preparation room and store and ancillary accommodation under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority.

The school has appointed a design team and the project is currently at the architectural design stage. My Department has received the design team's stage 1 architectural report which is currently being reviewed by my Department's professional and technical officials. The outcome of this review will be communicated to the school authority directly in order to offer practical help and advice on progressing this important project. At this early stage and in advance of the necessary statutory approvals in particular, it is not possible to provide a reliable expected date of practical completion for the project.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The planned establishment of a new post-primary school in 2021 to serve the Sallynoggin_Killiney_DLR/Cherrywood school planning area was announced in 2018 as a result of a countrywide demographic exercise. Further analysis has since been conducted on the necessity for the establishment of planned new schools taking into account a number of factors including the pace of delivery of the expected additional residential development in the school planning areas, associated enrolments and the capacity in existing schools in the areas.

My Department is satisfied that the existing demand can be accommodated at present by the existing and growing schools in the school planning areas. As a result, the establishment of the planned new school has been deferred.

The pace of delivery of additional residential development in the school planning areas and particularly Cherrywood, along with updated enrolment data and demographic data will be kept under review and this will inform the timing of school requirements. My Department will continue to liaise with the Local Authority in respect to the projected completion of planned residential developments.