Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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1289. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the expected timeline for the delivery of a permanent building for a new secondary school serving the Dublin 9 area; and the current pupil capacity at the interim site. [44163/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The school building project referred to by the Deputy is included in the Department of Education and Youths’ Construction Programme.

The brief for the project is the delivery of a new 1,000 pupil post primary school and accommodation including 6 classrooms for children with special educational needs.

The project will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT 4 Programme – Programme Innovate. This programme will be led by Integrated Project Teams 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 these Integrated Project Teams. After appointment, the Integrated Project Team will begin the initial stage of architectural planning – Stage 1, where a site and current building assessment is carried out, and initial design sketch schemes are created.

The school is currently located in Whitehall on a site separate from the proposed permanent school campus location. For the 2024/25 academic year, 103 pupils were enrolled and at present there is no cap on enrolments.

It is not possible to provide a timeframe for the construction stages at present.

Further details on the Department of Education and Youth’s capital programme will be published in Autumn 2025.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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1290. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current status of the building project at a school (details supplied), including progress through the design or tender stages and projected completion date. [44164/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the departments pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide a 1 art room and storage, 3 science lab and prep area, 1 home economics room and store, demolition of old art and science rooms and ancillary. The project was devolved to the school for delivery.

I can confirm that this project received my departments approval to proceed to Stage 2b (developed design) in May 2024, and my department now awaits a post planning report to include the necessary statutory permissions and the preparation of tender documents, from the school for review.

Once this Stage 2b report is received it will undergo an intensive review from both a technical and cost perspective in accordance with the requirements of the Public Spending Code. All projects, including this one, will undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the Public Infrastructure Guidelines. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall program

In advance of securing the necessary statutory approvals, it is not possible to accurately predict when this school building project will go to construction nor when it will be completed.

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

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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1291. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the timeline for delivery of a new building for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44165/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm to the Deputy, that my department is in receipt of an application for the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.

Initial approval has been given to the school authorities for 2 Special education classrooms in modular accommodation and this offer has been accepted by the school.

The school is currently undergoing site surveys, which will determine if the school's preferred location is a viable option for the accommodation. When this has been confirmed a Project Manager will be appointed for the delivery of the modular accommodation.

I can confirm that my department's aim is to progress this project to delivery as soon as possible.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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1292. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has finalised a site for a permanent building for a school (details supplied); and if so, to provide an indicative construction timeline. [44166/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will be part of a shared educational campus which will provide 2 new 1,000 pupil post primary schools with 6 classrooms for children with special education needs, a new 8 classroom primary school with accommodation and 2 classrooms for children with special education needs and a new 20 classroom special school at the Swords Road campus in Whitehall.

The project will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT 4 Programme – Programme Innovate. This programme will be led by Integrated Project Teams consisting of highly skilled and experienced design professionals, architects, engineers, project managers, quantity surveyors and various other consultants to deliver the projects.

AECOM, as Programme Manager, are overseeing the procurement and appointment of these Integrated Project Teams. The procurement process to appoint the IPT is nearing conclusion. Once appointed, the Integrated Project Team will begin the initial stage of architectural planning – Stage 1, Preliminary Design, where a site and current building assessment is carried out, and initial design sketch schemes are created.

It is not possible to provide a timeframe for the construction stages at present.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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1293. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide updates on school building projects (details supplied). [44171/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Schools referred to by the Deputy were granted capital funding under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme, Additional School Accommodation Scheme and National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects – (Dargle bundle) respectively.

The Devolved SEN 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 first school in question received a initial grant of planning recently, the project is currently in the appeals process period. Subject to a final grant of planning approval the project has a tentative start on site date in Q4.

The second school in question was approved funding under the traditional Additional School Accommodation Scheme ASA. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and is currently at preliminary design stage. My department now awaits submission of a stage 1 report.

The third school in question also has a project under the traditional Additional School Accommodation Scheme ASA. The project is currently undergoing the creation of detailed design to present to the Department next week, upon approval of this an accurate construction start date will be determined.

The fourth school in question which is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme had a planning permission application lodged last week. if there are no objections from the local authority a final grant would be expected in late October.

I am pleased to advise that the fifth school in question has a project that is substantially completed which will be ready for occupation for the new school year.

The sixth school in question has a project which is being delivered under the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) as part of a programme of school building projects – (Dargle bundle). The project is currently at Stage 2b (post planning process) of the architectural process which allows for detailed design and planning, obtaining the necessary statutory permissions and the preparation of tender documents. When this stage has been finalised and approved, the next stage is tendering for a contractor and then onwards to construction in due course.

The Department is fully aware of the urgency in respect of the projects in question and will be working closely with the Project Managers and School Authorities to keep it updated on overall project delivery and timelines.