Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 May 2026
173. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on a number of school building projects in Dublin mid-west (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40518/26]
View answerSt Thomas JNS & Scoil Áine SNS
The joint school building project will deliver two new 24 classroom primary schools with accommodation for children with special educational needs, at the current site in Lucan.
The project is currently at an early stage of Architectural Planning Stage 1 – Initial Sketch Scheme. A preferred design option has been agreed by all Stakeholders and my Department have requested the Design Team to further assess the proposed construction programme and methodology.
The stage 1 report was received by my Department in May 2025 and is currently under review. Upon completion of the review, my Department will advise both schools and their design team regarding project progression.
With regard to this campus project referenced by the Deputy, this project is at preliminary design (Stage 1) and was therefore not at an appropriate stage of readiness for inclusion in the initial tranche of projects for tender and construction.
Devine Mercy JNS & SNS
This joint school building project will deliver a new extension and refurbishment of some existing accommodation to provide a 24 classroom primary school with classrooms for children with special educational needs, at both schools.
The schedule of accommodation was recently increased to include SEN accommodation and the design options submitted by the Design Team are being evaluated by my Department.
A meeting of all stakeholders is anticipated to be held in the near future, to discuss and agree a preferred option which can be further developed and prepared to be submitted for planning permission.
Lucan Community College
The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is a large scale capital project for the construction of a new extension and the refurbishment of existing facilities to accommodate 1,000 pupils, including provision for Special Educational Needs (SEN) classrooms.
More than four years has elapsed since the publication of the contract notice and more than two years since the tender submission deadline. Given the passage of time since tenders were returned and the unacceptably high risk that the contract may not successfully be delivered within budget, the ETB were instructed to collapse the tender procedure in July 2025.
Phase 1 of the project is currently being delivered under my Department's Modular Framework to deliver 9 general classrooms and 2 specialist classrooms.
Phase 1 also includes the repurposing of part of the existing accommodation to include classrooms for children with Special Educational Needs in the interim.
The subsequent phases of the Project to deliver the remaining accommodation is currently under review and my Department will be in contact with the School and Patron body once this has review has been completed.
Subsequent phases will be considered, in due course, as part of our overall prioritisation processes for future tranches of project rollout that are deliverable within parameters of NDP funding”
St. Kevin's Community College, Clondalkin
I wish to advise the Deputy that my department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.
I can confirm to the Deputy that the school's application is being considered by my officials and they have been in contact with the school authorities in relation to this application. My officials remain available to work with the school authorities throughout this process. I can assure the Deputy that the application will be progressed as soon as possible and an official decision will issue to the school authorities directly.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €6.9 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 1,400 school building projects along with over 4,000 small-scale improvement works to meet priority maintenance needs and advance energy efficiency and climate goal. In addition, repurposing and optimisation of existing accommodation capacity across the school estate has been a key enabler of timely, local provision of special class capacity in a way that supports best practice in inclusion and integration. Circa 80% of new special classes in 2025/26 are being facilitated in repurposed classroom accommodation.
This investment has delivered real benefits for school communities.
I would like to advise the Deputy, over this period, my Department has provided €1,906.47 million in capital funding for Dublin schools. A total of 261 schools have been upgraded either through provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation. 20 school projects were included in the NDP Implementation Plan to go to tender or construction in 2026 and 2027.
There are currently 54 school projects in Dublin under construction. This summer, 53 schools are approved to undergo works as part of the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme.
In addition, since 2020 a total of 529 special classes have been sanctioned in Dublin, of which 128 were sanctioned for September 2026.
