Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update in respect of the provision of permanent school buildings for a school in Kildare north (details supplied). [39236/24]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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110. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will set out the items that are outstanding in order to progress a school building project to the next stage (details supplied). [39383/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 110 together.

Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested around €5 billion in schools throughout the country. Around 950 school building projects have been completed and 350 other projects are under construction, which includes 37 new school buildings. These 350 project currently at construction involves a total state investment of over €1.5 billion.

The Department announced earlier in the year 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.

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 project referred to be the Deputy will deliver a new 8 classroom primary school and accommodation, including 2 classrooms for children with special educational needs.

The project currently has planning permission and is, along with a number of other projects, being brought to the level of employer-led design with a Design Team assigned to do so under the supervision of the Department’s project manager.

The process of appointing the Design Team from the Department’s Frameworks of Consultants was completed in September 2023 and the project is currently close to completion of Stage 2(b) of the architectural design process. Stage 2(b) involves detailed design and the preparation of tender documentation.

The next stage, subject to relevant Stage 2(b) approvals, will be Stage 3 tender stage. It is anticipated that this project will go to tender in Q4 2024.

Projects are subject to relevant due diligence at each stage in the process, within the context of overall programme and budgetary parameters.

I wish to assure the Deputy that the project for the school referred to by the Deputy is a significant priority.

My Department will continue to keep the school and Patron body updated as the project progresses.