Written answers

Wednesday, 22 January 2025

Department of Education and Skills

Schools Building Projects

Photo of Colm BurkeColm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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560. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a building project by a school (details supplied) under the ADAPT 3 Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46889/24]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under the Departments ADAPT Programme. The ADAPT Programme uses a professional external Project Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Design Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning to Tender and Construction.

The project is currently at Stage 1 of architectural planning – Preliminary Design, including site and current building assessment, location suitability and initial sketch scheme, with a preferred design option to be agreed by all stakeholders.

Upon receipt of the Stage 1 report from the Design Team, the Stage 1 Stakeholders meeting was held in April 2024, between representatives from the Board of Management, Project Manager, Design Team, and the Department.

Following that meeting, the Design Team were requested to submit a Stage 1 Addendum report to the Department, for further consideration. The report was received in June 2024, and is under review.

Upon completion of the review, Department Officials will advise regarding an agreed preferred design option to be progressed, so that the Design Team can commence Stage 2(a) of Architectural Planning – Developed Design, where that agreed preferred option can be developed to a stage where it can be prepared to lodge for statutory approvals and be fully cost planned.

Photo of Emer CurrieEmer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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561. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reconsider the configuration of new two special classes and two classrooms at a school (details supplied) as modular buildings, and revert to the original proposals first discussed two years ago, which were endorsed by the school to include permanent accommodation attached to the main building with roof restoration, as there are design faults in the new plan and it contradicts the school ethos of an inclusive environment for all. [46892/24]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question submitted an application for the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme in February 2023. Following assessment of the application and consideration of the situation in the school it was agreed that the project should proceed with the Department’s Project Manager Framework.

A brief issued to the school authority for 2x Modular special education classrooms, 2x Modular mainstream classrooms (1 additional and 1 prefab replacement) and the refurbishment of a damaged roof for the main school building. This brief was agreed to by the school authorities and a Project Manager was appointed on 17th October 2024. The Project Manager visited the school site and conducted a viability report. The viability report was then agreed by the Department and issued to the school on 15th November 2024.

The Board of Management of the school in question responded on 26th November 2024 and the main request was for the inclusion of a central corridor. A Departmental official issued a response to all of the school’s queries and it was stated that a central corridor cannot be provided in the modular buildings for the school, due to the design of the modular brief of accommodation being provided to the school.

Department officials have continued to engage with the school in question over the last number of months and to date there has been no request from the school to change the delivery mechanism that was agreed in October 2024.

Officials in the Department continue to be available to the school should they wish to discuss any further issues.

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