Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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25. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide details on the plan for a new-build school in Dún Laoghaire (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23890/24]

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 project for the school referred to by the Deputy currently has planning permission and will, along with a number of other projects with planning permission, be brought to the level of employer-led design with a Design Team assigned to do so under the supervision of my Department’s Project Manager.

A separate planning application for a roof-top play area was submitted to the relevant Local Authority in November 2023 and is currently the subject of a third-party appeal to An Bord Pleanála.

This building project will provide a new 16 classroom primary school and accommodation, including two classrooms for children with special educational needs.

The process of appointing the Design Team from my Department’s Frameworks of Consultants was completed in September 2023 and the project is now progressing through design development stages.

My department will continue to liaise with the school’s patron body in relation to the school’s interim accommodation needs pending delivery of the permanent accommodation for the school and will provide further updates as the project progresses.