Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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345.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills why there has been a delay of over 3 years for the delivery of the approved extension to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25486/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme since 2021, from the school in question.

Since 2020, my department has invested in the region of €4.8 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 800 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 30 new school buildings. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2bn.

I also recently announced that close to 90 projects, including 28 new school buildings, would be authorised to proceed from tender stage to construction over the course of 2024 and early 2025. In total, around €800 million will be invested in these projects under the department’s Large Scale Capital Programme and Additional Accommodation Scheme for essential classroom accommodation.

Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in this latest phase, investments by the Department of Education are adding over 550,000 square metres of new and modernised capacity to our school estate.

This is a record level of investment in school buildings. It will expand the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure. The impact of this will be felt in communities right around the country.

The key drivers of capital investment in the school’s sector include:

• demographic growth, particularly at post primary level
• increased demand for special educational needs provision
• alignment of school place provision with new housing development
• climate action objectives including deep energy retrofit.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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346.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for a detailed update and timeline for the provision of additional accommodation for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25503/24]

Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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347.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will direct her Department to expedite an application for additional accommodation for a school which is required urgently (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25505/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 346 and 347 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for additional school accommodation (ASA) from the school authority in question.

The school’s application for capital funding was assessed and the Department made a decision to broaden the scope of the project taking in to consideration the future needs of the school and the school planning area more generally. The school agreed a proposed brief of:

1x Special Education Classroom

1x Mainstream Classroom

1x Special Education tuition room

The consideration of the accommodation requirements for the school in question forms part of the Planning and Building Unit’s overall assessment of its work programme and priorities in the context of available capital funding.

The provision of required school places, including for children with special educational needs, is a priority for my Department. My officials are working to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet the school place needs in the school in question and the wider area for 2024/25 and future years.

The project is currently with our Professional & Technical department, who are preparing the project for the next phase. I can assure the Deputy officials in my Department are working to progress the project to the next phase as soon as possible.