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Schools Building Projects

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 March 2022

Thursday, 10 March 2022

Ceisteanna (310)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

310. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the degree to which the various school extension or new building projects throughout north County Kildare have been affected by Covid-19 or other factors in respect of their delivery date; the action now taking place to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13786/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. This investment will build on the good progress being made on adding capacity to cater for demographic changes and provision for children with special educational needs.  This investment will also facilitate an increased focus on the modernisation of existing school stock and help transition the school system for an era of net zero carbon by 2050.

My Department has a large pipeline of projects for delivery under the school building programme. The main elements of this pipeline currently involve in excess of 1,200 school building projects for delivery under the Department’s Large Scale and Additional Accommodation Scheme. These projects are currently in progress across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction.

There are currently in excess of 250 school building projects at construction (on site) with a continuous stream of other projects at or near the tendering stage. Most of which are expected to be either under construction or completed in the period up to 2025.

During the period 2018 to 2021 691 school building projects were completed under the Large Scale Capital Programme (LSCP) and the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA).  These projects delivered in excess of 64000 school places. 19 of these projects delivered were in County Kildare; 16 of those were primary schools including one special school and 3 were post-primary school building projects. This strong delivery has been facilitated by the continued operation of the school building projects during the COVID period.

It is anticipated that 150 to 200 school building projects will be completed annually during the 2022 to 2025 period.

As the Deputy is aware the length of time a project takes to deliver depends on a number of factors, including scale and complexity, and is subject to the time it takes to progress through the statutory approval process. There is also always a risk of unforeseen issues giving rise to slippage in the progress of a project through the design, statutory approvals or tendering process. Furthermore, Additional Accommodation projects may differ in the way they progress through the architectural planning process depending on their scope.

Large Scale & Additional Scheme Accommodation (ASA) Projects in north County Kildare:

Roll_Number

School_Planning_Area

School_Name

TYPE

Project_Type

18644U

Celbridge

STRAFFAN N S

Primary

Extension

18988G

Celbridge

ST RAPHAELS SPECIAL SCH

Special Education

New School Building

20257C

Celbridge

Scoil Naomh Padraig

Primary

New School Building

61661P

Celbridge

Salesian College

Post Primary

Extension

91614B

Celbridge

Celbridge Community School

Post Primary

New School Building

20526D

Leixlip

Leixlip Primary School

Primary

New School Building

70691C

Leixlip

Confey Community College

Post Primary

Extension

00779U

Maynooth

PRESENTATION GIRLS PRIMARY   SCHOOL

Primary

Extension

17341U

Maynooth

MAYNOOTH B N S

Primary

New School Building

20292E

Maynooth

Maynooth Educate Together   National School

Primary

New School Building

20527F

Maynooth

Gaelscoil Ruairí

Primary

New School Building

76554W

Maynooth

Gael Coláiste Mhaigh Nuad

Post Primary

New School Building

15040T

Naas

MERCY CONVENT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Primary

New School Building

17254C

Naas

SCOIL CHORBAIN

Primary

New School Building

19597T

Naas

AN LINBH IOSA

Primary

Extension

61730I

Naas

Coláiste Naomh Mhuire

Post Primary

Extension & Refurbishment

76194S

Naas

Naas Community College

Post Primary

New School Building

20542B

Naas

Naas Primary School

Planned Primary

New School Building

12998C

Prosperous_Clane

S N CIANOG NAOFA

Primary

Extension

13902O

Prosperous_Clane

HEWETSONS N S

Primary

Extension & Refurbishment

19796C

Prosperous_Clane

ST PATRICKS BNS

Primary

New School Building

70720G

Prosperous_Clane

St Farnan's Post Primary   School

Post Primary

New School Building

91372D

Prosperous_Clane

Scoil Mhuire Community School

Post Primary

Extension

There are no delays save for: 

Hewetsons NS: Prolonged period of time to appoint a design team. Expected to move through next stages efficiently.

St Farnan's Post Primary: Prolonged Stage 1 status due to design implications. Expected to move through next stages efficiently.

Naas Community College: Project now complete. The project suffered delays through Stage 4. The original substantial completion date was 09/08/2021 (firstly delayed until 10/12/2021 due to covid19) and it was completed on 18/02/2022.

Mercy Convent Primary: Construction commenced on site  in May 2017. The contract terminated in March 2020. Weatherproofing works to  reach substantial completion on the 9th of March 2022. Tenders to issue for contractor to complete the major construction project shortly with a proposed  completion date June 2023.

Gaelscoil Ruairí: Prolonged planning process owing to a Request for Further Information. Project currently at tender preparation. No further delays anticipated.

Maynooth Educate Together NS: Delays were incurred due  to Covid-19 and site closures in 2020. This delayed the final handover of the project. School was handed over in two phases , phase one delivered 8 classrooms in December 2019 and phase two delivered the remainder of the project in May 2021.

Maynooth  BNS: Project completed. Construction commenced on site in December 2020 and the current substantial completion date is August 2022. Delays were due to lack of trade’s people on site due to Covid, weather delay and supply chain disruption. No further delays are anticipated.

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