Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

285. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will take account of the concerns raised by the Board of Management of a school (details supplied) regarding the design of the new modular unit and make some changes to reflect these concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10547/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department is delivering two significant projects at the school referred to by the Deputy, a new permanent school building and modular accommodation.

The major building project will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT programme. ADAPT is an acronym for the "Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning and Tendering".

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 brief is to provide a new 20 classroom Special Educational Needs School located at Blanchardstown Road North, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

Following the appointment of a Design Team in Quarter 2, 2024 the project progressed to Stage 1 - Preliminary Design (assessment of site and location suitability and initial sketch scheme).

The Stage 1 Report was submitted to my Department on 20th November 2024.

Upon completion of my Department's due diligence review, the Stage 1 stakeholders meeting took place on 4th December 2024, with the Principal, a representative from the patron DDLETB, all Design Team members, the Project Manager and Department officials in attendance. Following the meeting, the project was approved to progress to Stage 2(A) of Architectural Planning.

Stage 2(a) – Developed Design - 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.

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 timings or phases for construction and delivery.

The Project Manager and Design Team will continue to engage directly with the school authorities to keep them informed of progress.

Separately, with regard to the modular accommodation project, my Department is continuing to engage directly with the patron regarding the delivery of this project.