James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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82. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on a school building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3653/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Cork Education and Training Board (CETB).

The project is currently at Stage 2a of the architectural detailed design process. The Stage 2a report has been received into my department and the review has been completed. A stage meeting has been scheduled to take place in Q1 2025 with CETB, the Design Team and the school authorities.

Once the Stage 2a is approved by my department, the next step will be to obtain the statutory planning approvals. When these are in place, the project will then proceed to tender and construction in due course.

While the project is at this stage, it is not possible to provide a timeline for completion of the project at this juncture however CETB as the devolved body will continue to engage directly with the school authority to keep them informed of progress.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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83. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on a school building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3654/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the Department’s pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide 6 General classrooms, 2 classroom SEN base, 1 Technical Graphics room, 1 Woodwork room, 2 Science rooms and shared preparation areas, 1 Home Economics room under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme.

I am pleased to advise that this project received my departments approval to progress to Stage 3 (Tender) in October 2024 and confirmation issued to the school authority. It is now within the remit of the school authority to progress this project accordingly.

My department will continue to engage with the school authority to provide practical advice and assistance on this much needed project.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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84. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on a school building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3655/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the Department’s pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide 9 General classrooms, 4 SET rooms, 1 Music room, 1 DCG room, 1 Science lab with Preparation area, 1 Art room, 1 Project store and a 3 Classroom Special Education Needs (SEN) base under the Additional Schools Accommodation scheme. The project was devolved for delivery to the school authority.

I can confirm that this project received my departments approval to go to Stage 2a (detailed design) of the architectural planning design process in September 2024. The Department understands from recent correspondence that the design team is currently developing the Stage 2a report for submission to my Department. This Stage 2a process must be completed before a planning application for the project can be lodged.

Once the Stage 2a report is received and its review concluded my department will be in contact directly with the school authority to advise how best to progress this important project.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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85. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on a school building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3656/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for additional school accommodation (ASA) from the school authority in question.

The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation 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.

At primary level, this situation generally arises to cater for a school’s accommodation requirements where an additional teaching post has been sanctioned by Teacher Allocation Section, or a new SEN class has been sanctioned by the NCSE, and all available alternative accommodation within the school is already being used for classroom purposes.

The main focus of my department’s resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics. The department is required to manage the overall school building programme so that we target and prioritise areas that are under greatest pressure for additional school places. This reflects our fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of a school place for every child.

Officials from my Department have engaged with the school authority in relation to the school's application and I am pleased to advise the Deputy that an offer of accommodation was sent to the school recently for agreement. As soon as agreement to the brief of accommodation is received from the school the project will progress to the department's delivery section.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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86. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on a school building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3657/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval under the Additional School Accommodation scheme issued to the school in question for the provision of 2 mainstream classrooms.

The project is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. The Department has a significant modular accommodation programme in place to assist schools in the provision of additional capacity, including in respect of facilitating the establishment of special classes. This programme involves the use of Project Management supports which is designed to enable the accommodation to be provided as quickly as possible and help ease the administrative workload for school authorities in relation to the management and delivery of projects.

The project is currently at design stage. Kerrigan Sheanon Newman Construction Consultants (KSN) have been appointed, from the Department’s Framework, to design and tender the project. This consultant will lead the project through the various stages of planning process and construction.

My Department is fully aware of the urgency in respect of this project and together with the School Authority and Project Manager will ensure that this much needed accommodation is progressed as expeditiously as possible.