Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

School Accommodation Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2019

Tuesday, 14 May 2019

Ceisteanna (147)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

147. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to ensure that prefabs will not be needed for a school (details supplied) and that the structural defects will be fixed before new school year in September 2019. [20397/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Deputy will be aware that last October and November my Department carried out initial investigations into 42 schools where structural defects had been identified. 22 required precautionary measures to enable continued safe occupation.

Following on from the initial investigations, which were based on sample opening up works, my Department initiated a second phase of detailed investigations for the schools on the 18th of January last. This next phase of the programme is focusing initially on the 22 schools that have precautionary measures in place and also at the school to which the Deputy refers, which remains closed in part.

The purpose of these investigations is to determine the type and extent of structural issues in each individual school and, from the technical information gathered by the appointed structural engineers, to design permanent remediation solutions for delivery where these are needed.

In line with the update published by my Department in January, detailed structural investigations have now been completed in 21 of the 22 schools with precautionary measures in place and at the school in question. The investigations into the remaining school with precautionary measures in place will be completed by the middle of May.

The school referred to is different from the schools with precautionary measures in place in that the nature and extent of the issues there are such that the building under investigation was required to close. The school remains operational in another building on site.

Detailed investigations have concluded in the closed building and engineers are working to design solutions. When these are known, a programme of works to remediate the building will be put in place for implementation. This is an Education and Training Board (ETB) school. Pending the delivery of the remediation work, my Department will ensure, in continued consultation with the ETB, that any interim accommodation needs at the school are met. In this regard, 2 additional temporary classrooms, a woodwork room and prep area together with a disabled access toilet have been approved for September 2019.

Barr
Roinn