Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2023
298. 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. [39967/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraScoil 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 in 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 completing the Design Team appointments to these projects from my Department’s Frameworks of Consultants. My Department will keep the school and patron body updated in relation to progress.
St Thomas JNS & Scoil Áine SNS Lucan:
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 been completed, and the design team are now appointed. An initial briefing meeting was held on Friday 21st 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 JNS & SNS:
The Design Team for Divine Mercy JNS & SNS have submitted a revised design option for my Departments’ review and an architectural design workshop to discuss the submitted design option has been arranged for the end of September 2023.
Once an agreement is reached on the proposed design, 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 Dolcain & Gaelscoil na Camogie:
The large scale capital project for Gaelscoil Chluain Dolcáin & Gaelscoil na Camogie 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 final grant of planning was received in June 2023.
The project is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award.
Rathcoole Educate Together National School
The permanent school building project for the school referred by the Deputy 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.
A meeting to share the plans with the school and their patron body was held on 22nd May 2023. The planning application is currently being finalised and is due to be submitted to the local authority in Quarter 4 2023.
It is not possible to provide a timeframe for the progression of the project to tender and construction stages until such time as the necessary statutory approvals have been secured.
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.
