Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 February 2023
276. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education the position regarding the school building for a school (details supplied); the efforts that her Department is making to ensure that students will be in the new building for September 2024 as per the original plans; the basis for any changes to this commitment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4389/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy 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 1,300 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.
The permanent building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department's Design and Build programme which uses a professional external Project Manager to progress projects through the stages of architectural planning, tender and construction.
As part of the conditions of sale of the permanent site for the school at Glenheron, Greystones, the lodgement of the application for planning permission for the project was under the remit of the vendor and my Department worked closely with the vendor in relation to the planning application for the new school. The final grant of planning permission for the school project referred to by the Deputy was received on 19th May 2022.
My Department progressed 8 Design & Build (D&B) projects (Lots 1 & 2) to construction in 2021. A further 10 projects (Lots 3, 4 & 5) issued to tender in June 2021, prior to the grant of planning permission for the school referred to by the Deputy in May 2022. A further 10 projects (Lot 6), including the project for the school referred to by the Deputy, are due to proceed to tender shortly.
My Department is currently assessing overall requirements for 2023 and associated work programme and will update individual schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, in due course.
