Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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28. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on plans to develop new accommodation at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27397/26]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter my Department's pipeline for school building projects under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme to provide 2 Mainstream classrooms, 1 Science Lab and prep area, 1 Graphics room and prep area, 1 Construction studies room and project store, 1 Music room, and ancillary.

This project is currently at Stage 2a (developed design). The Stage 2a report, which outlines the proposed design and associated costings, was submitted to my department and is currently undergoing a detailed review from a technical and cost perspective. All school building projects, including this one, will undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the Infrastructure Guidelines. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to ensuring that the overall school building programme remains within the funding parameters.

My department has a strong track record of delivering the Government’s School Building Programme with over €6 billion invested since 2020.

As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This sets out my department’s approach to prioritised investment in school infrastructure. There is a strong focus in the plan on maximising existing capacity and prioritising project rollout to meet the most urgent needs particularly to support special education needs provision.

The project at the school in question forms part of this overall pipeline of school building projects that will continue to be managed in line with available NDP funding.