Robert Troy
Question:451. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the provision of a new modular special educational needs unit at a school (details supplied). [37930/25]
View answerTuesday, 8 July 2025
Questions (451)
Written answers
The school to which the deputy refers was granted approval for the provision of one special educational needs classroom under my Department's Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme 2024.
This programme involves the use of Project Management supports which is designed to enable the accommodation to be provided as quickly as possible and help ease the administrative workload for school authorities in relation to the management and delivery of projects. The use of my Department’s Modular Framework also assists in ensuring lead in periods for procurement of contractors are minimised to the greatest extent possible. Kerrigan Sheanon Newman Project Management (KSN) has been appointed, from my Department’s Framework, to design and tender the project and oversee all elements of construction.
Department records show that following original approval of this project, the signed form of acceptance, which is the contractual commitment for initiation of the project into delivery stage, was not submitted to my department by the school authority. My Department has re-issued approval to proceed with this project and the school authority has now returned the signed form of acceptance to my Department. The first tranche of funding will now issue to the school authority and the project will enter pre-construction stage which involves development of site surveys and detailed design.
My Department is fully aware of the urgency in respect of this accommodation and will be working closely with the project managers and the school authority to keep it updated on overall project delivery and timelines