I can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme.
The project will provide the following accommodation at the school: 8 Mainstream classrooms, 3 SET rooms, 1 room for shared HSL Teacher, 1 SEN Class, reconfiguration of existing accommodation to provide a 3 Class SEN Base, GP Hall and Ancillary Accommodation as outlined in the project brief; Purchase of 3 interim accommodation to accommodate 2 mainstream classrooms, 2 SET and 1 ASD class. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. This project is currently at the Design stage and a Stage 1/2a report is required to be submitted at this time. Once received, this will be reviewed by my Department.
I wish to advise the Deputy that the school has also been approved for a Summer Works Scheme external environment works project.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has recently approved the amalgamation of the Summer Works Scheme project with the Additional Accommodation Scheme project. An update in relation to this has issued from my Department to the school Board of Management.
The Department has a strong track record of delivery of school building projects and this was achieved again in 2022 notwithstanding the wider construction sector environment of high inflation, labour shortages and supply chain issues.
The Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 in the context of its available funding. The Department's published National Development Plan (NDP) allocation for 2023 is €0.86 billion.
High construction inflation remains a continuing feature of the construction sector for 2023. As part of its planning ahead for 2023, the Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to capital funding pressures in order to continue to be able to adequately support the operation of the school system with rollout of school building projects to construction in 2023.
Key priorities for the Department's work programme include continuing strong delivery to support the operation of the school system with particular regard to planning ahead for the 2023/24 school year and beyond and also with particular regard to supporting special needs provision.
