Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 January 2026
1234. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the school extension works for a school (details supplied); the date on which works will begin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1705/26]
View answerThe brief for the Major Project is to provide a new extension to increase the current accommodation to 1000 pupils and the provision of additional classrooms for Students with Special Educational Needs.
The project is at completion of Stage 2(b) of the architectural design process. Stage 2(b) involves detailed design, securing all statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documentation. Planning Permission was secured in March 2025.
The next stage, subject to relevant Stage 2(b) approvals, is Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award.
In July 2025, the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026-2030 under the National Development Plan. As part of this NDP allocation my department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting annual school place needs. In relation to project rollout for Large-Scale projects and Additional School Accommodation scheme projects, the approach will be to continue to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible in the first instance and provide necessary additional capacity through targeted and prioritised project rollout over the course of 2026 to 2030 period to meet the most urgent and prioritised needs.
The department's National Development Plan (NDP) Implementation Plan for the Education and Youth sector will be published shortly and the first tranche of projects to progress to construction will be published in January. This NDP sectoral investment plan will optimise outputs from the Department's NDP allocations, with a strong focus on maximising existing school capacity, progressing priority projects where local capacity across schools in the area is insufficient, and ensuring delivery that is affordable, offers value for money, and meets functional needs.
The major building project referred to is being delivered as part of my department’s ADAPT Programme.
The ADAPT Programme uses a professional external Project Manager to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning to Tender and Construction.
