Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 November 2022
251. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education her plans to increase school capacities in Naas and the surrounding towns; and her plans to allocate further resources in the area and its surrounds. [56003/22]
View answerThe school building programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. The current status of large-scale projects being delivered under Project Ireland 2040, including projects in the area referred to by the Deputy, may be viewed on my Department's website at, www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.
In response to projected future need and to enrolment demand in the area, there has been significant capital investment by my Department providing additional capacity at primary and post primary schools.
With regard to the Naas School Planning Area, a number of major building projects in primary and post-primary schools are currently underway which will provide further capacity. These include projects at the following schools:
- Mercy Convent Primary School, Naas - a project to provide a new 32-classroom school is currently on site and close to completion.
- St Corban's Primary Schoo,l Naas - a project to provide an extension to cater for a 16-classroom school is currently at stage 2b of the architectural planning process (detailed design).
- Colaiste Mhuire Secondary School, Naas - an extension to expand this school to cater for 1,000 pupils is currently at stage 2a of the architectural planning process.
- Naas Community College - recently completed new school building that has capacity for 1,000 pupils.
There are also further projects progressing under the Department's additional accommodation scheme (ASA) at Scoil Naomh Mhuire Primary School, An Linbh Iosa and Gaelcholaiste Chill Dara.
In relation to surrounding towns the following projects are also progressing:
- In Clane - two primary school building projects are ongoing. Scoil Padraig Primary School - a new 24-classroom school is on site and a major extension / refurbishment project at Hewetson N.S. is at stage 1 of the architectural planning process. At post-primary school level, a building project at Scoil Mhuire Community School is at stage 1 of the architectural planning process and will provide 2 Science Labs and 5 classrooms (prefab replacement) when completed.
- In Prosperous - St. Farnan's post primary school, a major building project is at stage 2a of the architectural planning process and will provide a new school with capacity for 1,000 pupils when constructed.
School place needs across all school planning areas will continue to be kept under review, using refreshed Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and other updated information as they become available.
