Schools Building Projects
99. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a much-needed building project will proceed to the next stage (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10770/26]
This is the first opportunity I have had in this Chamber to wish the Minister every success in her role. It is always a demanding and challenging one in a Department that impacts so many people. As the Minister knows, I have been in regular contact with her through representations and parliamentary questions on the need to advance as quickly as possible a number of building projects throughout Cavan and Monaghan. This particular parliamentary question refers to the proposed building project at Milltown National School, Cavan, that needs to be advanced to the next stage as soon as possible, particularly to cater for the needs of children with additional needs.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a project comprising two mainstream classrooms, two special education tuition rooms and one special education needs base has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. This project was approved in 2022 and my Department has been engaging with the school to support it through stage 1 of the architectural design process to advance a design solution that is consistent with the approved project brief and in line with the Department’s technical standards. My Department has recently issued advice to the school and is currently awaiting submission of a revised stage 1 report.
My Department has a strong track record of delivering the Government’s school building programme, with over €6 billion invested since 2020. In that period, my Department has provided €92.61 million in capital funding for Cavan schools. There are currently four school projects under construction across the county. A total of 24 schools have been upgraded either through provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the national development plan’s sectoral investment plan for education and youth, which is worth €7.55 billion out to 2030. This sets out my Department’s approach to prioritise investment in school infrastructure. There is a strong focus in the plan on maximising existing capacity and prioritising project roll-out to meet the most urgent needs, particularly to support special education provision. The project at the school in question forms part of this overall pipeline of school building projects that will continue to be managed in line with the funding parameters within which I have to work through the national development plan.
I strongly welcome the major investment in school buildings since 2020, both in my constituency and nationally. In her response, the Minister stated that the Department is awaiting a submission of a revised stage 1 report from the school. I have been in contact with the Department in this regard, as has the school. This will mean that the school will be submitting plans to the Department for the third time. The Department has requested that the design team cuts down on the cost of the project. In order to reduce the cost of the revised project, the architect is proposing that the new extension be elevated by 1.2 m. This will reduce costs of the excavation, earth disposal, retaining walls and access ramps. The proposed new drawings have both steps and an enclosed lift on the main corridor.
In an effort to speed up the process, and before the school sends the drawings to be repriced by the quantity surveyor, the board of management of the school has asked both me and the Department for clarification as to whether the building unit in the Minister’s Department will accept the building with split levels when pupils with special educational needs will be accessing those corridors. I appreciate that detail is not in the Minister’s briefing notes but I ask her to quickly give me a note on this or for the Department to write directly to the board of management and principal stating whether the revised plans with split levels are acceptable to the Department’s specifications. The school does not want to waste money in doing this if the plans will be rejected.
As the Deputy will appreciate, I cannot comment on the technical details of any school across the country. I can advise and certainly assist. I am sure there is a line of communication, as there always is, for these building projects where the design team of the school engages directly with the Department of education. I will certainly follow up with the Department to get clarity around that and ensure it engages with the school directly around those particular concerns. As the Deputy can imagine, I cannot give any kind of confirmation or otherwise in relation to technical and design elements of particular schools. If a line of communication is needed between the Department and the school, I have no issue facilitating that.
I fully appreciate that the Minister is not to get involved in technical details but the board of management, the principal and I have sought clarification from the Department and it has not been forthcoming. The board of management, the principal, Mr. Keith Conefrey, the parents’ association and all the staff do not want to waste time getting a redesign, submitting it to the Department and then being turned down again. We are talking about ensuring the best value for money here. An answer via a note to myself or directly to the school from the Minister’s Department would benefit everybody. It would benefit the Department from an expenditure point of view and it would also help speed up what is very much needed.
The Minister referred to this accommodation being particularly focused on the needs of pupils with additional needs and ensuring there is proper accommodation in that regard. This school’s enrolment has grown from 51 pupils 15 years ago to 175 pupils today. There is a special emphasis in this school on providing for children with additional needs. This accommodation is needed. If this project could be progressed as soon as possible, it would be a good day’s work for that community.
I will certainly raise the matter with the Department and ensure it engages directly with the school.
