Brian Stanley
Ceist:71. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education the steps being taken by the staff in her Department to have the new building for a school (details supplied) advanced. [52314/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 30 November 2023
Ceisteanna (71)
Freagraí scríofa
Kolbe Special School is part of a large-scale capital project, located in Portlaoise. I want to reassure the Deputy that this project is a key priority for the Department.
The project brief is to provide a new eight classroom special school and appropriate ancillary accommodation. The School Authorities also recently received approval for the installation of modular accommodation on the site currently occupied by Kolbe Special School. The accommodation can be configured for use as a sensory pod if the School Authorities deem it to be the best use of this additional accommodation for children with special educational needs.
My Department has assisted the modular building contractor and School Authorities in determining the layout, including assisted user WC Facilities. Additional boundary fencing and some external play area works have also been agreed.
The site that Kolbe Special School currently occupies is in the ownership of the HSE; the School Authorities and their Design Team are working with the HSE to satisfy Legal and Health & Safety requirements in relation to installation of this additional accommodation on their site.
The statutory applications have been lodged with the Local Authority, the approval of the Fire Safety Cert and Disability Access Cert applications are pending.
The Contractor has set up on site and, subject to no issues arising, the current programme to complete installation is a seven week period, including Building Control Amendment Regulation certification by the Local Authority. The additional accommodation is anticipated to be available to the school for January 2024.
Significant enabling works for the major project for the new school are proceeding on-site including the completion of works around the public road and roundabout, liaising with ESB Networks Ireland for the diversion of ESB overhead wires.
There are two individual ESB line installation works to be completed at the new site - the first has commenced on-site and is on target for completion by December 2023, the second line works programme is subject to approval of wayleave and licence, and the administrative details are currently being finalised between the HSE as landowner and the school authorities with the assistance of the design team.
On completion of the ESB works, the Contractor will have approximately 1 weeks’ work remaining to make the site safe and to decant from the site to enable the main contractor to commence.
In addition to the modular accommodation, my Department received the Tender Report for the new build from the Board of Management and the Design Team. The Tender Report is currently under review. On completion of the review, the Department will be in contact with the BOM and Design Team.
Since 2020, we have invested €3.5 billion in our schools throughout the country involving the completion of over 690 school building projects with construction currently underway at 300 other projects. School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of €1.2 billion. We also have 200 modular accommodation projects that are very well advanced for delivery or at construction stage. This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities.