Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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109. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on school building projects in Dublin mid-west (details supplied) and their projected completion dates. [40006/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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St Thomas JNS & Scoil Áine SNS

The joint school building project will deliver two new 24 classroom primary schools with accommodation for children with special educational needs, at the current site in Lucan.

The project is currently at an early stage of Architectural Planning Stage 1 – Initial Sketch Scheme. A preferred design option has been agreed by all Stakeholders and my Department have requested the Design Team to further assess the proposed construction programme and methodology.

The stage 1 report was received by my Department in May 2025 and is currently under review. Upon completion of the review, my Department will advise both schools and their design team regarding project progression.

Until such time that a contractor has been appointed, a timeline for completion cannot be provided.

Divine Mercy JNS & SNS

This joint school building project will deliver a new extension and refurbishment of some existing accommodation to provide a 24 classroom primary school with classrooms for children with special educational needs for both schools.

The schedule of accommodation was recently increased to include accommodation for children with Special Educational Needs. The Design Team submitted their design options to the Department which are currently under review. This is a detailed process subject to the Department's due diligence and as such a timeline for the revised design option is not available at this time.

On completion of the Department's review, a meeting of all stakeholders is anticipated to be held in the near future, to discuss and agree a preferred option which can be further developed and prepared to be submitted for planning permission.

The Department continues to liaise with the school with regards the progression of the project.

Until such time that a contractor has been appointed, a timeline for completion cannot be provided.

Lucan Community College RN: 70080T

The Large-Scale Capital Project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s School Building Programme.

The large-scale capital project for the construction of a new extension and the refurbishment of existing facilities is to accommodate 1,000 pupils, with accommodation and classrooms for children with special educational needs.

The project is currently at Stage 3 – Tender Stage. Due diligence by the Department is a critical part of the overall completion of the Stage 3 process and is critical to ensuring quality and value for money, and that projects are progressed within overall budgetary parameters.

With respect to this project, certain issues that arose during the procurement process, and the requirement to carefully manage the capital programme within constrained capital funding caused significant delays in completing the overall procurement process. More than four years has elapsed since the publication of the contract notice and more than two years since the tender submission deadline. Given the passage of time since tenders were returned, an unacceptably high risk that the contract may not successfully be delivered within budget has been identified. On that basis and following engagement with my Department, DDLETB, as Client for this project, has made the decision to collapse the tender procedure.

DDLETB intends to issue a new procurement process for this project in due course.

Department officials will continue to work closely with DDLETB on the progression of the project.

Until such time that a contractor has been appointed, a timeline for completion cannot be provided.

Griffeen Community College

The school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will deliver a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school and accommodation, including 6 classrooms, for children with special education needs on a site at Kishogue Cross, Griffeen Avenue, Lucan, Co Dublin.

The Letter of Acceptance (LOA) issued to the successful contractor on 18/11/2024 which allowed the contractor to commence on site. It is anticipated that the construction period will have a duration of some 16 months.

My department will continue to keep the school updated as the project progresses.

Scoil Chrónáin

The school building project will deliver a new 16 classroom primary school and accommodation, including 2 classrooms, for children with special educational needs on the permanent site at Rathcoole, Co. Dublin.

The tender returns for the project referred to by the deputy were received on 02/05/2025. Tenders have now been evaluated by the Project Manager and a tender assessment report has been submitted for my department’s consideration.

Projects are subject to relevant due diligence at each stage in the process, within the context of overall programme and budgetary parameters. My department will continue to keep the school updated as the project progresses.