Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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409. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the timeline for the new school (details supplied) where children, staff and teachers are finding it difficult to continue using prefabs indefinitely and in particular in cold weather conditions. [2191/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The current position in respect of the joint major building project referred to by the Deputy is as follows;

The major project for St. John Bosco Boys JNS, St. John Bosco SNS, and Mary Help of Christians GNS is currently at Stage 2(a) of Architectural Planning - Developed Design - which is a crucial element of the architectural planning process as it is at this stage that the design is developed to a stage where it can be fully cost planned and prepared to lodge for statutory approvals.

The Stage 2(a) submission was received in the Department during the summer of 2024, and the Stage 2(a) Stakeholders meeting took place on Wednesday 16th October, with representatives from the 3 schools Board of Management, the Design Team and Department officials invited to attend.

Following that meeting, the Design Team are progressing to address the Department comments.

The Department is committed to progressing this project through architectural planning, and is supporting the design team in preparing the project design so that it can apply for all statutory approvals, including planning permission.

Until the project design is at a stage where statutory approvals, planning permission, etc are secured by the Design Team, it will not be possible to provide an estimated onsite date.

Department officials have been in contact with the school authorities in respect of their current accommodation and are supporting the individual schools regarding essential emergency works.