Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 July 2023
109. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education the status of progress and the timelines for the delivery of new school accommodation for schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34434/23]
View answerScoil Chrónáin
My Department progressed 8 Design & Build (D&B) projects (Lots 1 & 2) to construction in 2021, with a further 10 projects (Lots 3, 4 & 5) progressed to construction in Summer 2022. A further 10 projects (Lot 6) progressed to tender stage on 18 April 2023.
All of these projects are tendered to my Department’s current D&B Contractors Framework of three main contractor consortia. It will be 2024 before the next scheduled bundle of projects (Lot 7) can be tendered to that framework and into late 2024 before further projects could proceed to tender.
In order to have projects delivered at the earliest possible opportunity, my Department is of the view that the intervening period can be utilised to bring a number of projects with planning permission, including the project for Scoil Chrónain, to the level of employer-led design with a Design Team assigned to do so under the supervision of my Department’s project manager. This will ensure that such projects do not have to await capacity on the current framework to proceed to tender but rather can be progressed and actioned over that timeframe to tender outside of the D&B framework. It is envisaged that this will also serve to broaden the range and number of Contractors to which such projects can be tendered than would hitherto have been possible within the Design & Build Framework. This forms part of my Department’s ongoing strategic approach to seek to widen the pool of Contractors tendering for school building projects.
My Department’s Project Manager is currently in the process of appointing Design Teams to these projects from my Department’s newly established Frameworks of Consultants. My Department will keep the school and patron body updated in relation to progress.
St Thomas JNS & Scoil Áine SNS
The joint major building project for St Thomas JNS & Scoil Áine SNS will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT (Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning and Tendering) Programme. The ADAPT Programme uses a professional external Project Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Design Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning to Tender and Construction.
The tender process to appoint the Design Teams for this joint building project has recently been completed, and the design team are now appointed. An initial briefing meeting was held on Friday 21 April, with representatives from the Project Managers, the Design Team, the Board of Management of both schools and representatives from the Departments School Building Unit in attendance.
The Design Team are now proceeding with the initial stage of Architectural Planning, Stage 1 – Preliminary Design, where the Design Team will assess the site and current school buildings and prepare their initial sketch schemes. A preferred design option, including the scope and extent of works to be carried out will be established during this early stage.
Until the project design is at a stage where statutory approvals are secured by the Design Team, it will not be possible to provide an estimated onsite date.
Divine Mercy Jnr & Snr schools
The joint major building project for Divine Mercy Jnr & Snr schools is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design. My Department met with both schools and their Design Team in December 2022 to discuss proposed changes to the school design, 2 additional classrooms for children with special educational needs were approved for both schools.
The Design Team have recently submitted further reports for Department review.
Once the reports are reviewed and agreement is reached on the proposed changes, the Design Team will proceed to prepare a revised Stage 2(b) Submission including a new Planning Permission application, and other statutory applications, along with a revised suite of Tender documents.
Until the project design is at a stage where statutory approvals are secured by the Design Team, it will not be possible to provide an estimated onsite date.
Gaelscoil Chluain Dolcáin & Gaelscoil na Camoige
The large scale capital project for the schools, Gaelscoil Chluain Dolcáin & Gaelscoil na Camoige, are part of a joint campus project with a post-primary school.
My Department authorised the Design Team to retender the project as the first tranche of tenders were deemed unviable. The Design Team applied for a new planning permission due to a change in the Planning Acts introduced by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in Sept 2021 which removed the option to extend a planning permission. The new grant of planning permission was received in May 2023.
The project brief is for 2 new 16 classroom schools and a PE Hall for the Post Primary School.
The tender report is currently under review by my Department. When this review is complete and subject to no issues arising, my Department will be in further contact with the School authorities.
Rathcoole Educate Together National School
The permanent school building project for Rathcoole ETNS has been assigned to my Department’s Design & Build delivery programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction.
The school and its patron body were advised by my Department in August 2021 that it would not be possible to proceed at that time with the proposed planning application for the school as South Dublin County Council had advised my Department of its intention to undertake a masterplan of the Rathcoole area, including the proposed school site. The Council has concluded the master-planning exercise and following consultation with the Council, my Department intends to proceed with a planning application for the school on the existing Department-owned site.
A further pre-planning meeting with the Council was held on 30th June 2022, with the discussions from this meeting informing the progression of the design and the preparation of the planning application for the school on its permanent site. A meeting to share the plans with the school and their patron body was held on 22 May 2023. The planning application is now being finalised and is due to be submitted to the local authority in Quarter 3 2023.
My Department will continue to liaise with the school and their patron body in relation to the school’s accommodation needs pending delivery of the permanent accommodation.
