I propose to take Questions Nos. 639, 640 and 642 together.
The school referred to by the Deputy is being funded for the rental of modular units to cater for the schools current needs. The department received recent correspondence from the school in relation to health and safety concerns within the current accommodation. My department have engaged with the school and are conducting a technical review in order to address the school's requirements as a priority.
As the Deputy will be aware, my department published the NDP (National Development Plan) Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sector in January last. 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. While primary enrolments have been in decline nationally for many years and this trend is set to continue, the NDP Plan will seek to optimise outputs from the capital allocation, 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. A department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of individual projects. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders including this school's patron. The progression of this project into architectural planning will be considered as part of this process.
