Written Answers Nos. 188-206
188. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 89 of 22 March 2018, if the minor issues that needed to be addressed by the design team have been dealt with; if the project will proceed to tender stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17484/18]
View answerThe building project referred to by the Deputy is for a new 24 classroom school including a Special Needs Unit, with a floor area of approx. 4,748m2.
The project is currently at Stage 2B of Architectural Planning. The Stage 2B report was received into the Department and feedback provided to the Design Team. The Design Team is currently working on the issues raised.
A letter recently issued to the school outlining the projected timeframe for progression of this project to tender and construction stage and the steps involved.
189. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if authorisation has issued to the board of management of a school (details supplied) in County Kildare to commence the pre-qualification of contractors for a new school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17485/18]
View answerThe major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured.
The Stage 2b submission has been reviewed by my Department and on 9 February 2018 comments issued to the school and its Design Team.
My Department also requested confirmations from the Design Team that it carries out one final review of all of its tender documentation to ensure compliance with DoES requirements. The Design Team has been requested to submit written confirmation from each Design Team member including the PSDP that they have completed this review and are satisfied that the Tender Documents are complete, correct and in compliance with DoES and Building Control (Amendment) Regulations (BC(A)R) tender documentation requirements. A response is awaited.
A letter recently issued to the school and its Design Team advising them of a timeframe for the progression of this project including the Pre-Qualification of Contractors.
190. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills when construction will commence on a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; the timeframe for the progression of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17486/18]
View answerThe major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured.
The Stage 2(b) submission has been reviewed by my Department and a letter recently issued to the school and its Design Team advising them of a timeframe for the progression of this project. This project has been authorised to commence the Pre-Qualification of Contractors.
191. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of plans and associated timeframes to provide new primary schools (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17487/18]
View answerThe acquisition of the site to accommodate the schools referred to by the Deputy is at a very advanced stage and all parties are working to complete it at the earliest possible date. Statutory approvals have been secured and once the site acquisition is finalised, the school building project will proceed to tender and construction stages.
192. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of classes being accommodated in prefabricated classrooms; the number that have been using prefabricated classrooms for two, three, five and more than five years, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17489/18]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the information requested is currently being compiled by my Department and will be furnished to him shortly.
193. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the proposed extension at a school (details supplied); the way in which a proposed new second level school in the area will affect the progress of the extension at the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17498/18]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the demographic exercise carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country had regard to the proposed project at the school referred to by the Deputy, a project included in my Department's Capital Programme.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department has set out on its website the current status of projects and information in respect of the school referred to is available at www.education.ie – Building Works.
194. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if all works in respect of a project (details supplied) are at a final stage; if retention money is being held; if the persons who carried out the works on this project will be paid in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17522/18]
View answerThe school referred to by the Deputy forms part of Schools Bundle 5, the PPP project which has been impacted by the liquidation of Carillion Construction Ltd and Carillion AMBS Ltd. Carillion Construction Ltd had subcontracted the construction work to Sammon Contracting Ireland Ltd which, in turn, had entered into other sub-contracts.
At the time of the liquidations in January, the school under reference was approximately 80-85% complete.
As a consequence of the liquidations, the construction and facilities management contracts relating to the PPP Project were terminated and are now being retendered. The tender process in this respect is being undertaken by infrastructure fund manager DIF on behalf of the PPP Company, InspiredSpaces. The focus of all parties is on ensuring that the school buildings, including the school referred to by the Deputy, are delivered as quickly as possible.
In accordance with the terms of the PPP contract, payments to Sammon Contracting Ireland Ltd for the construction of the schools were made by InspiredSpaces through Carillion Construction Ltd. At the end of December 2017, the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) received confirmation from InspiredSpaces that Sammon Contracting Ireland Ltd had been paid in full in accordance with the contract to that point and that there were no issues arising.
Payments by the Department of Education and Skills to InspiredSpaces for the construction, operation and maintenance of all schools forming part of the Schools Bundle 5 project will be made through annual inflation-linked payments called unitary charges, the first of which will be made following the completion of the first school building. Additionally, the contract provides for the payment of a lump sum for the completion of the off-site works and related costs to allow for the delivery of these schools. A sum of €4.4 million, with relevant retention applied, has been paid to InspiredSpaces in that respect.
In the case of all school building projects, it is a matter for sub-contractors and suppliers to agree terms and conditions and a schedule of payments with the main contractor as their direct employer or customer.
Contractual/payment issues arising under such sub-contracts are for the relevant contracting parties to resolve. The Department of Education and Skills is not party to these contracts and does not have any authority to intervene in respect of the matter.
Sammon Construction Ireland Ltd is now subject to the direction of a Court appointed examiner.
195. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied); the timeframe for progression of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17534/18]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has approved additional accommodation at the school in question and the school has been advised accordingly.
196. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the capital application and subdivision plans submitted by Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17544/18]
View answerI can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for a significant extension project in respect of the school and College of Further Education referred to by the Deputy. The application is under consideration and my Department will revert to the relevant ETB in the matter shortly.
197. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will request the State Examinations Commission to revise the qualifying criteria for the reasonable accommodation at the certificate examinations, RACE, scheme to allow special arrangements for children with processing speed deficits (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17554/18]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The Commission in this regard operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate Examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
198. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) will be included in the upcoming DEIS programme; and the criteria which a school must meet in order to qualify for inclusion on the DEIS programme. [17557/18]
View answerWe have, for the first time, introduced an objective, statistics based model for deciding which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS Programme, so that all stakeholders can have confidence that we are targeting extra resources at those schools with the highest concentrated levels of disadvantage. The methodology adopted to assess levels of disadvantage in schools is based on centrally held data with a uniform application across the entire school system to assess levels of disadvantage in Primary and Post-Primary schools.
The key data sources used in the DEIS identification process are the DES Primary Online Database (POD) and Post-Primary Online (PPOD) Databases, and CSO data from the National Census of Population as represented in the Pobal HP Index for Small Areas which is a method of measuring the relative affluence or disadvantage of a particular geographical area. Variables used in the compilation of the HP Index include not only single parent rate, but those related to demographic growth, dependency ratios, education levels, overcrowding, social class, occupation and unemployment rates. This data is combined with pupil data, anonymised and aggregated to small area, to provide information on the relative level of concentrated disadvantage present in the pupil cohort of individual schools.
A detailed document explaining the methodology used in the Identification process is available on the Department’s website at https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Identification-Process.pdf.
As the Deputy will be aware, an update of the identification model is currently underway. This will take account of updated school data as provided by schools for the current school year combined with the Pobal HP Index of Deprivation, based on CSO Small Area Population statistics derived from the 2016 National Census. It is envisaged that this process will be completed in the coming weeks.
Should this exercise reveal that any school, including the school referred to by the Deputy, which did not qualify for DEIS in 2017 meets the criteria applicable to schools with the highest concentration of disadvantage based on the updated information, then additional schools may be included subject to available resources.
199. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17559/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's 6-Year Construction Programme.
The school authority in question is currently addressing legal matters associated with the site portfolio and my Department will continue to liaise with the school in the context of the progress that the school is making in relation to these matters.
200. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17560/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's 6 year Construction Programme.
I wish to advise the Deputy that a school site visit by my Department's technical staff has taken place in the context of progressing the school project concerned. Schedules of accommodation, for purposes of the school's project brief, are currently being devised and my Department will be in further contact with the school authorities when these have been finalised.
201. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17561/18]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the project to which he refers was announced as part of my Department's Six Year Capital Programme in 2015.
Officials in my Department continue to work closely with officials from Wexford County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the acquisition of a suitable permanent location for the school to which the Deputy refers and with the assistance of Council officials a shortlist of site options was identified and technically assessed.
Work on the site acquisition process is currently ongoing with a view to acquiring the most suitable site for the school. I can assure the Deputy that every effort is being made to advance the site acquisition process as expeditiously as possible.
202. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17562/18]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the project to which he refers was announced as part of my Department's Six Year Capital Programme in 2015.
Officials in my Department are working closely with officials from Wexford County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the acquisition of a suitable permanent location for the school to which the Deputy refers.
A number of potential site options have been identified and these are currently under consideration, in consultation with the local authority. Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally I am not in a position to comment further at this time.
203. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development of a school (details supplied). [17563/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's 6 year Construction Programme.
In the context of progressing the project, a school site visit, by my Department's technical staff, has been undertaken. The next step includes devising the schedules of accommodation, for purposes of the school's project brief and this process is in train. When this has been finalised, my Department will be in further contact with the school authorities.
204. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17564/18]
View answer205. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17565/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 205 together.
The building project at the schools referred to by the Deputy are currently ahead of the construction programme and works are expected to achieve substantial completion during the the 3rd quarter of 2018.
The contractor has completed the majority of the new build elements and work has recently commenced on the final renovations phase of the project. Subject to no issues arising it is envisaged that the project will be fully completed and ready for occupation in September 2018.
206. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17566/18]
View answerThe major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured.
The Design Team is currently finalising the Stage 2b submission. Upon receipt and review of this report my Department will revert to the Board of Management with regard to the further progression of the project at that time.
