Written answers

Wednesday, 22 January 2025

Department of Education and Skills

Schools Building Projects

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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606. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills regarding her Department’s direction for the relocation of a primary school (details supplied), if there has been engagement with the relevant local authority in relation to provision of school traffic wardens on the routes surrounding the two locations; if not, if this will be undertaken to ensure safety for pupils on their way to and from school given the area is regularly busy and often congested; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1307/25]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department are working closely with Educate Together and Lucan East ETNS in relation to the school’s relocation to a new school located at Thomas Omer Way, Kishoge, Lucan.

The design for the school site factors in a controlled pedestrian crossing, footpaths, pedestrian walkways, and cycle tracks to support and facilitate active travel arrangements. In relation to vehicular access, all vehicles will access the site via a new junction arrangement on the Thomas Omer Way which will involve a dedicated right hand turn lane. The site also contains a turning circle. There are also set down areas allocated within the site which are suited for car and bus set down.

The issue raised in relation to a traffic warden comes within the remit of South Dublin County Council (SDCC). However, my Department will support any application made by the school to SDCC for a traffic warden at the new location and have contacted SDCC outlining the Department’s support for such an application. SDCC have advised the Department that an assessment of the location of the new school will be carried out in early 2025 with a view to establishing if there is need for, and if there is a suitable location for an assisted crossing.

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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607. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills regarding her Department’s direction for the relocation of a primary school (details supplied), if there has been any engagement with public transport operators in relation to ensuring transport routes include the road on which the new school is situated; if not, if this will be undertaken to ensure the school is directly accessible by public transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1308/25]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 172,500 children, are transported daily in approximately 7,900 vehicles across 10,300 routes daily to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These daily trips cover over 100 million kilometres. his figure includes over 143,800 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 21,700 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

The scheme is made up of three separate schemes, the school transport scheme for primary, post primary and for children with special educational needs. Transport is also provided for children who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine and those residing in IPAS/EROC centres.

The total expenditure on the scheme in 2024 was €512m.

The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.

Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school. At post primary level, they are eligible where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre. Distance is determined by the Department/Bus Éireann and rules have regard to ethos and language.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time (apply on time and pay on time) are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation and where there is capacity to do so.

Children who are not eligible but who apply for school transport are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places. In these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.

School Transport Section has advised Bus Éireann of the change of address for the school referred to by the Deputy. Following the move, all pupils currently travelling on school transport will be transported to the new school location. School transport applications made for the 2025/26 school year will relate to the permanent school location to ensure eligibility for all pupils is assessed correctly.

Parents of children wishing to avail of school transport services for the first time are required to apply on-line to Bus Éireann’s website at

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

Photo of Thomas GouldThomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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608. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the development of a new school site to accommodate two schools (details supplied); when the new schools will be operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1332/25]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Since 2020, my department has invested over €5.7 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,150 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes new school buildings some of which are being delivered in phases. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.3bn.

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 permanent school building project referred to by the Deputy will provide a new 1,000 pupil post primary school and accommodation, including 6 classrooms, for children with special educational needs and a new 8 classroom primary school and accommodation, including 2 classrooms, for children with special educational needs.

It is intended that the project will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT Programme which uses a professional external Project Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Integrated Project Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning, to Tender and Construction.

The ADAPT 4 Programme will be led by Integrated Project Teams (IPT’s), consisting of highly skilled and experienced design professionals, architects, engineers, project managers, quantity surveyors and various other consultants to deliver the projects. AECOM as the Programme Manager are overseeing the procurement and appointment of the IPT’s. A 2-stage procurement process for the IPT appointment is ongoing with Stage 1 complete and Stage 2 underway.

It is not possible to provide a timeframe for the progression of the project to tender and construction stages until such time as the necessary statutory approvals have been secured.

My Department will keep the schools and patron body informed of the progression of this shared educational campus and will continue to liaise in relation to interim accommodation pending delivery of the permanent accommodation for the school.

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