Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 May 2023
152. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education the steps she will take to ensure the temporary accommodation committed to for a school (details supplied) will be in place for September 2023; if her attention has been drawn to a request from the five Wicklow Deputies for a meeting with senior officials responsible for this project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20350/23]
View answer157. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to a letter sent by this Deputy seeking an urgent meeting with senior Department officials responsible for the delivery of both temporary and permanent accommodation for multiple schools in Wicklow (details supplied); if she can confirm whether this meeting will take place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20366/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 157 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, a major capital project for Blessington Community College is being addressed through my Department's Construction Programme. This project is currently at stage 2b of the architectural planning process.
My Department has been engaging with Kildare Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB), as patron of the school, regarding the long-term accommodation needs of the school. My Department was pleased to inform the patron recently that the long term projected enrolment for the school was confirmed at providing capacity for 1,000 pupils plus 6 special education needs classes.
My Department has also been working with KWETB to ensure that there is sufficient accommodation in place to meet the interim needs of the school, pending the delivery of the main project. In this regard, my Department has approved interim accommodation to meet the need for the 2023/2024 academic year and beyond. The current status of both permanent and interim accommodation for Blessington Community School was also conveyed to the Deputy recently.
With regard to Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School (ETSS), the site identification and assessment exercise for this school is ongoing.
Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to comment further at this time. I can, however, assure the Deputy that the provision of a new site for Wicklow ETSS is a priority for my Department and that the patron body, Educate Together, will be informed of any developments in the regard, as soon as it is possible to do so.
I can confirm that the building project for Greystones Community College has been approved to proceed to tender. The Invitation to Tender for the project issued on the 18th April 2023 as part of a bundle of projects issued to a Framework of Design and Build Contractors.
The tender process currently takes approximately 8-10 months. Once a Contractor has been appointed, it is anticipated that construction would commence shortly thereafter.
My Department looks forward to getting this school building project delivered as quickly as possible and in the meantime will continue to liaise with the school and their patron body in relation to interim accommodation needs pending delivery of their permanent accommodation.
I also wish to advise the Deputy, that details of large-scale projects being delivered under the school construction programme 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.
