Catherine Callaghan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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72. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason construction works of the new school building at a school (details supplied) is currently paused; when she expects construction to restart; when she expects the project to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50821/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that my Department is not in receipt of an application for additional school accommodation (ASA) from the school in question.

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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73. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for a detailed update on school works (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50829/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The major building project for the school referred to has just recently completed Stage 2(a) of Architectural Planning – Developed Design, where the preferred design option is developed to a stage where the project can be fully cost planned, and prepared to lodge for statutory approvals.

The brief for this project is 12 Mainstream Classrooms plus 1 Speech & Language Classes along with 3x Special education classrooms and all associated site works.

The Department has reviewed the Stage 2(a) Submission. The Stage 2(a) Stakeholders meeting between the School Authorities, Design Team, Project Manager, and the Department, was held in November 2024. The meeting concluded with a request for the Design Team to submit a Stage 2(a) Addendum report addressing issues raised by the Department at the meeting.

The Department have received and are currently reviewing the Stage 2(a) Addendum report which is almost completed.

In July the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026-2030 under the National Development Plan. As part of this NDP allocation my department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting annual school place needs. In relation to project rollout for Large-Scale projects and Additional School Accommodation scheme projects, the approach will be to continue to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible in the first instance and provide necessary additional capacity through targeted and prioritised project rollout over the course of 2026 to 2030 period to meet the most urgent and prioritised needs.

My department is now preparing an NDP implementation plan which is due for publication later in the Autumn. This plan will optimise outputs from the NDP allocations, with a strong focus on maximising existing school capacity, progressing priority projects where local capacity across schools in the area is insufficient, and ensuring delivery that is affordable, offers value for money, and meets functional needs.

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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74. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide all pieces of correspondence between her Department and a school (details supplied) in relation to ongoing application for building works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50830/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The major building project for the school referred to has just recently completed Stage 2(a) of Architectural Planning – Developed Design, where the preferred design option is developed to a stage where the project can be fully cost planned, and prepared to lodge for statutory approvals.

The brief for this project is 12 Mainstream Classrooms plus 1 Speech & Language Classes along with 3x Special education classrooms and all associated site works.

The Department has reviewed the Stage 2(a) Submission. The Stage 2(a) Stakeholders meeting between the School Authorities, Design Team, Project Manager, and the Department, was held in November 2024. The meeting concluded with a request for the Design Team to submit a Stage 2(a) Addendum report addressing issues raised by the Department at the meeting.

The Department have received and are currently reviewing the Stage 2(a) Addendum report which is almost completed.

In July the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026-2030 under the National Development Plan. As part of this NDP allocation my department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting annual school place needs. In relation to project rollout for Large-Scale projects and Additional School Accommodation scheme projects, the approach will be to continue to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible in the first instance and provide necessary additional capacity through targeted and prioritised project rollout over the course of 2026 to 2030 period to meet the most urgent and prioritised needs.

My department is now preparing an NDP implementation plan which is due for publication later in the Autumn. This plan will optimise outputs from the NDP allocations, with a strong focus on maximising existing school capacity, progressing priority projects where local capacity across schools in the area is insufficient, and ensuring delivery that is affordable, offers value for money, and meets functional needs.

The attached request is voluminous in nature but if there is a particular query that the Deputy wishes to enquire about then I can arrange for an update to be provided to the Deputy.