Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 January 2026
1242. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be permitted to progress from stage 2b of the additional accommodation scheme for a new building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1851/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is now at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning - Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals, which have been secured, and the preparation of tender documents.
The Stage 2b submission report from the Design Team is expected in the coming weeks. On receipt of the report, my department will commence a detailed review of this report by the multi disciplinary team.
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.
