Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
864. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education the steps and processes involved in the planning, development and construction of a new school in an urban environment, including typical timelines at each stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14574/21]
View answerAt present, there are five stages of architectural planning involved in the delivery of major school projects, regardless of whether it is in an urban or suburban or rural environment. The stages reflect the Capital Works Management Framework developed by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform. The stages and indicative timelines are as follows:
Stage 1 – Preliminary Design (5 to 6 months). The Preliminary Design stage includes reviewing all information provided as part of the Project Brief. Establishing and analysing all site factors and constraints which may impact on the projects viability.
Stage 2 - Design (which is divided into Stage 2a - Developed Sketch Scheme and Stage 2b - Detailed Design) (9 to 12 months at each stage)
The Stage 2a includes development of the design and accurately cost plan the options agreed with the Client to a stage where the project is fully cost planned and can be prepared to lodge for statutory approvals.
The Stage 2b includes obtaining all statutory approvals, preparing a set of fully detailed Tender documents, and preparing an accurate pre-tender cost plan.
Stage 3 - Tender Action, Evaluation and Award (9 to 12 months). On the completion of the examination of tenders, written authorisation of the Department must be obtained before issuing Letter of Intent and Letter of Acceptance. Once all the contract pre-conditions in the letter of intent have been met and the Department has given written authorisation to proceed to Contract, a letter of Acceptance can be issued. This forms the contract and is the contract and is the date for the calculation of the Contract period.
Stage 4 – Construction (12 to 24 months) All members of the Design Team are collectively responsible for the effective management of the project in order to achieve its completion on time and within budget.
Stage 5 - Handover of Works and Final Account (12 months minimum). The Design team individually and collectively are required to effectively manage the Project, with the co-operation of the Contractor achieve a satisfactory standard of Construction, and achieve Substantial Completion of all elements of the Projects by the Contract Section/Phase handover dates and overall Contract Completion Date.
The timelines outlined above are indicative and can be achieved by an efficient design team encountering no problems along the way. However, the period of time it takes to progress through each of these stages varies from project to project depending on its size and complexity and can often take longer than that indicated.
