Jackie Cahill
Question:72. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education the status of each large-scale school building project in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25064/21]
View answerThursday, 13 May 2021
Questions (72)
Oral answers (6 contributions)
Will the Minister provide the status of each large-scale school building project in County Tipperary? I want to recognise on the record the Minister's tremendous record with regard to school infrastructure in my county and across the country since she became Minister less than a year ago. This level of investment in Tipperary has never been seen before. As politicians, we are very glad to see that investment, but we are always coming back looking for more.
I appreciate that; it is the nature of the job, is it not? The current national development plan, NDP, as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework, provides for an €8.8 billion investment in schools during the period from 2018 to 2027. The increased investment under the NDP is positioning the State to focus on adding and modernising capacity in the school system.
During the NDP period 2018-2020, 526 building projects were completed under the large-scale capital programme and the additional school accommodation scheme. These projects delivered in excess of 48,000 school places, including permanent accommodation for 229 special classes, and additional capacity for 67 classrooms in 14 special schools throughout the country. Of the 526 school building projects completed in the period from 2018 to 2020, 24 were delivered in County Tipperary.
The Department has a significant existing pipeline of projects to be delivered over the coming years to meet capacity needs. This is managed under the large-scale capital programme and the additional school accommodation scheme. Overall, there are 61 building projects across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction in County Tipperary, five of which fall under the large-scale capital programme and a further 56 under the additional school accommodation scheme. Two of these projects are at project brief stage, one is at detailed design stage and two are on site as we speak.
I have made arrangements for the details of these 61 school building projects to be forwarded directly to the Deputy. I believe he will accept that this represents significant progress in his constituency and will be of considerable benefit to the students and school communities. We look forward to building on that progress.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Minister. I just acknowledged the great investment in Tipperary, from Carrick-on-Suir all the way up to Lorrha in the north of the county. In the last six weeks, St. Michael's National School in Holycross has been given two allocations from the Department. A number of large-scale projects have been approved in the recent past. Will the Minister provide me with an update on them? There are two in Tipperary town and there is to be very significant investment in Fethard. Presentation Secondary School in Thurles is also to receive significant investment. What are the timelines for building works to start on these four projects? Have they gone to tender? When will those four very significant projects in the county begin?
I thank the Deputy. I appreciate the need to expedite these projects and to commence them as soon as possible. I also appreciate how important they are. The Department has done considerable work to progress the projects despite the pressures of Covid-19 and the impact this has had on advancing projects. We were fortunate in the Department of Education in that we were able to continue with the provision of school buildings as an essential service. As the Deputy has acknowledged, we were also able to continue notifying schools as regards developments in both the short and long term. With regard to the specific timelines and targets to be met, I will ensure he is given specific information as regards the particular schools he referenced. My officials will make that available to him.
I thank the Minister. I will refer to two other primary schools which have had applications in for a period of time. I do not expect the Minister to have information on them in her briefing material, but will she come back to me with information on the status of applications made by Presentation Primary School in Thurles and Ballylooby National School? Will she let me know when those schools can expect a decision? I have been lobbying for them for a period of time. When does the Minister expect a decision to be made with regard to funding for these two specific schools? As I said, I do not expect the Minister to have an answer for me now, but I would appreciate it if she could get her officials to give me a brief on those two schools.
I thank the Deputy. I will guarantee that this information will be made available to him. I acknowledge his ongoing and consistent commitment to the provision of education services in Tipperary. I will ensure that information is made available to him.