The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently completing Stage 2(b) of the architectural design process.
Stage 2(b) involves detailed design, securing all Statutory Approvals and the preparation of tender documentation.
The project involves the redevelopment of Newtown School to provide accommodation for a long term enrolment of 600 students. The existing shared campus will be re-organised and extended to compliment the historic architecture. The project involves a significant expansion to existing school building to include a new PE hall facility and SEN Suite.
An enabling works contract to provide additional accommodation was completed in February 2025.
This building is of significant conservation importance as highlighted by the planning authority. The design team outlined a proposal of works that need to be completed to improve the condition of the deteriorating buildings and allow the council to grant an extension to the planning of 5 years. A planning extension was secured and Enabling Works were approved for the Link Building Roof in September 2025.
The Design Team have recently prepared and, submitted to the Dept. for review, the tender documents to appoint a contractor to carry out these works. These works are expected to last 4/5 months.
As the deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This NDP Sectoral Plan involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard there will be a strong special education dimension to project rollout.
Of the total €7.55 billion investment it is envisaged that circa. €5 billion will be used for project rollout to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the Large Scale, Additional Accommodation, Modular, and Annual September Accommodation Needs programmes. Over the course of 2026 and 2027 there will be construction work at circa. 10% of the school estate. These projects will, when completed, provide circa 57,000 additional and modernised school places with a strong SEN focus in all projects.
The department will continue to build on the progress made over recent years with the continued rollout of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. In this regard, I have also published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027. This list includes 2 schools in Co. Waterford.
These Projects are in addition to €142.68 million in capital funding for County Waterford schools between 2020 and 2025. Over that period, a total of 32 schools have been upgraded either through provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation. There are also currently 7 school projects in County Waterford under construction.
Another 2 school projects will go to tender or construction in 2026 and 2027, and this summer, 7 schools are approved to undergo works as part of the Summer Works Scheme / Climate Action scheme.
In addition, since 2020 a total of 59 special classes have been opened in Waterford, 8 of which were sanctioned for September 2026.
The first tranche of 105 school building projects includes 80 large scale and Additional School Accommodation scheme projects. These projects were prioritised with a strong focus on maximising existing capacity and prioritising project rollout to meet the most urgent needs particularly to support special education needs provision.
Firstly, to facilitate the 45 projects that are currently already at tender stage (Stage 3) so that they can progress to construction as smoothly as possible over the course of 2026 and 2027. Secondly, to facilitate 35 projects that currently have planning permission and are at pre-tender stage (Stage 2b) and have been prioritised to meet urgent requirements from a special needs perspective or to provide additional capacity to cater for demographics or to address very significant condition issues at the schools.
I recognise that there are schools with important building projects that are not included in the first tranche of prioritised projects.
As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, the department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of individual projects through the design pipeline having regard to the continual need to maximise existing capacity and determine the prioritised needs going forward. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender. The department-led Energy and Condition Survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities.
Based on this ongoing prioritisation process some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027 having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account also of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, the department will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.
Any interim accommodation requirements will continue to be assessed and considered by the department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing same.
The accommodation needs at Newtown School will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
