Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 March 2022
71. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education if funding for a school (details supplied) will be sufficient to provide a new building considering the level of inflation in the building sector. [13313/22]
View answerI will raise the issue of the Kolbe centre in Portlaoise, County Laois which is in urgent need of a new building. The Minister might outline the funding progress on that.
The major building project for Kolbe Special School in Portlaoise is included in the Department’s construction programme, which is being delivered under the national development plan. The €4.4 billion funding envelope for the schools capital programme under Project Ireland 2040 provides a strong basis for the roll-out of projects, including in respect of Kolbe Special School.
The project is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning, stage 2b detailed design, which includes the application for all statutory consents, including planning permission, disability access certification and fire safety certification, in addition to the preparation of tender documentation. Planning permission has recently been granted. Disability access certification has also been granted and the application for fire safety certification is with the local authority; its response is pending. The design team is currently working on completion of the tender documents and finalisation of the stage 2b report, which will then be submitted to the Department for review and approval. To expedite the project, the pre-qualification of contractors is being carried out in parallel with the completion and review of stage 2b, and the design team was authorised to commence the process just last week.
Upon receipt, review and approval of the stage 2b submission, completion of the pre-qualification of contractors, and once the design team are satisfied that their tender documents are in order and comply with all departmental and building regulation requirements, the project for Kolbe Special School can be progressed to tender and award of contract. A tender stage normally takes between six to eight months subject to no issues arising. I will articulate clearly that the Department is fully committed to getting this project delivered as quickly as possible and advanced as a priority.
I thank the Minister for her reply. I cannot emphasise enough the need for a new building. At present, this special school, which deals with children with very complex needs and serious levels of disability, has only one permanent bricks-and-mortar classroom. Everything else is prefabricated and some of it is in a very poor condition. It is not totally weatherproof, it is not soundproof and some of the prefabs are just too small. It is very difficult to heat and, with the current situation regarding energy costs, that causes difficulties. I emphasise there is a major need for this school. The site is secured on Block Road. It is an excellent site and the school authorities have been working hard on that with the Department. I acknowledge the co-operation of the Minister's officials on that matter.
The school has an excellent and very committed staff and the parents are also very committed. It is very important that we try to move this project on. Planning permission was granted a couple of weeks ago by the county council. That is something I have raised a number of times with the council because of the urgency of the project. It is now important that we get it to the next stage, which the Minister will appreciate. Will she given an indication of the timelines and the funding involved?
I acknowledge the Deputy's commitment to the delivery of this project. I also acknowledge that it is a project where the importance of delivery has been drawn to my attention. The Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, and myself are very committed to the provision of special education. Some 25% of our budget, in excess of €2 billion, is expended, rightly so, on special education. There is an enormous commitment from the Department to that.
From what I have outlined, the Deputy will see that significant progress in advancing this project has been made. He referenced planning permission, and fire safety certification is pending from the local authority, whose role we acknowledge. The design team is currently working on the tender documents. Equally, to expedite the project, pre-qualification for contractors, which is important, is being carried out in parallel with the completion and review of stage 2b. Again, as the Deputy acknowledged, the design team has been authorised to commence the process last week. The manner in which we are as much as possible taking a twin-track approach underlines our commitment.
The Minister will understand, coming from the education sector and given her job now, the different stages of planning, design and delivery of a school. There are a number of hurdles within the process and a number of stages that must be gone through. I ask that her officials give this priority. I acknowledge the Minister of State. She will be in the constituency, in Laois, on Friday and she will be very welcome. It is really important that we get it done and that the funding provided is sufficient to cater for any building inflation there may be because, unfortunately, costs are not going down. It is important that there is sufficient funding for it.
I ask the Minister could really work hard on this so that the children and the staff do not spend another winter in the accommodation that they are in, if that is possible. We need to try to move on with it. It is not suitable with the weather conditions to have people in those prefabs year-in, year-out. I thank the Minister for her reply. Hopefully, we can get this project moving very quickly.
I thank the Deputy. I reiterate the Department's absolute commitment to deliver this project as expeditiously as possible. It is being given priority. On receipt and review of the stage 2b submission, completion of the pre-qualification of contractors and once the design team is satisfied that the tender documents are in order and comply with departmental and building regulations, the project for Kolbe Special School can be progressed to tender and award of contract. We will do that as expeditiously as possible. I concede that the tender process can take between six and eight months but it is very important that everyone in the school community, families and the wider community can see the timeline of progress. That also gives confidence to the project. We have made significant progress and I want us to continue with the same level of urgency and priority.
