Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

674.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the emergency works application for a school (details supplied); the status of its new-build application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31898/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In relation to the application for the new school building, - I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for a new school building under the Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme, from the school in question.

The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation or at other schools in the area.

The Department has to prioritise its limited capital resources, in the context both of the ongoing requirement for additional school places, including SEN places, and the high construction inflation which has significantly impacted on the cost of projects that we must deliver.

Since 2020, my Department has invested in the region of €4.9 billion in our schools, involving the completion of over 900 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.

In Co Galway alone, since 2020, the Department has invested over €155 million in school infrastructure and completed 65 school building projects.

This significant investment is intended to allow us to move forward with certainty on modernising our school infrastructure with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. The strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock will have different strands and will include a deep-energy retrofit programme in support of our 2030 and 2050 Climate Action Goals.

Officials in my Department have engaged with the school to determine immediate accommodation needs which can be delivered through the additional accommodation scheme. When a decision has been made regarding this application, it will be communicated to the school authority directly.

Regarding Emergency Works, the school to which the Deputy refers applied for multiple categories on one application and also did not provide cost breakdowns for the works contained therein, both of which were in breach of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) guidelines. The EWS team have been in contact with the school’s Principal highlighting that the original application which was submitted had a costing which was excessive and also contravened Procurement guidelines. The Principal was provided with a clear pathway of how to apply for all the works with the least amount of costs to the school.