2026-04-23

3. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been brought to the long and complex planning history of a new school building project (details supplied); that ten-year planning permission for the new school building project will expire in August 2026; the measures she will take to ensure this project is advanced before planning expires, or the steps that will need to be taken to advance the project as quickly as possible thereafter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29468/26]

Has the Minister's attention been brought to the long and complex planning history of a school building project in Dunboyne, County Meath?

The school building projects for Dunboyne junior and senior national schools will deliver a new 24-classroom primary school for the senior school and an eight-classroom extension and refurbishment project for the junior school. Both school projects will also include classrooms for children with additional needs. I am aware that there have previously been procurement difficulties with this project and that an opportunity was taken to request the design team to do an element of redesign to include in the scope of works decarbonisation measures for both schools, and a fabric upgrade for the primary school. The revised stage 2b report for the senior national school was submitted in June 2025 and is currently with the Department for review. On completion of the junior national school's stage 2b report, the design team will be authorised to re-engage with the local authority regarding the planning permission. In January this year, my Department published its sectoral national development plan, NDP, implementation plan, which included a list of 105 prioritised projects to proceed to construction or tender in 2026 and 2027. A 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, including projects at stage 2b, such as Dunboyne junior and senior national schools. They are not part of the initial tranche of 105, but this will ultimately inform the next tranches of the programme roll-out to tender. Officials will continue to engage with Dunboyne junior and senior national schools on their accommodation needs, including any interim arrangements that need to be put in place. Since 2020, the Department of education has provided €473 million in capital funding for Meath schools and, during this period, a total of 62 schools have been upgraded through the provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation. Currently, 13 school projects in Meath are under construction, seven school projects will go to tender or construction this year and next year, and ten schools have been approved for the summer works and climate action summer works schemes.

There are other questions on the Order Paper today about the same issue. A question being asked in every corner of Ireland is how are schools selected for prioritisation and how, in all that is reasonable, were other schools left behind. With the state of deterioration, dilapidation and condition of the school, that it is intended for this school to provide additional special education places and improved accommodation for a growing population and that it has essentially been at tendering stage on two occasions before now, the Minister will be able to imagine the extreme frustration of the school that there is a significant question mark over how long it will take to get a new school.

The Deputy will be aware there are a number of factors. This is a general statement about the NDP and projects to be prioritised. Demographic pressures in an area, enrolments in the wider catchment area, special education provision and that schools do not currently have a home are all factored into the prioritisation. On the school in question, we absolutely recognise the need for prioritisation here. This is a five-year NDP programme. The first tranche has been announced. Due to the project being re-tendered, the design team is currently carrying out a pre-qualification for a main contractor and reserved specialist. The project is now at an advanced stage of architectural planning, stage 2b - detailed design. The design team submitted an updated stage 2b report for the senior school in June last year. The amended design was to ensure decarbonisation measures were included and it included a new scope. In the interim, the Department has agreed the temporary accommodation for the junior school site. That will be replaced as it is no longer fit for purpose.

The Minister will appreciate two significant considerations. One is the lapsing of the planning permission and having to go back. I met Meath County Council about this. There is a new county development plan. Significant work will have to be redone in terms of submissions and there is concern that will delay the project further. I appreciate what the Minister said about pre-works and so on, but can she give any assurance about that question? Will the lapsing of the planning permission delay the project further or can the two processes happen at once? I repeatedly hear about a Department-led prioritisation process. What opportunities are there for individual schools or boards of management to engage with that process?

Where planning permission has previously been secured but is due to run out before the project can be delivered, there are mechanisms. My Department is very aware of this and would have a lot of experience in relation to it. The Department examines projects on a case-by-case basis to determine the best course of action. One approach might be engagement with the local authority to request an extension to the existing planning permission, for example. I am just speaking in the general here. This would be applicable, for example, where a project has substantially commenced on site before the expiry date of the planning permission. In some instances, a new planning application may be required and in cases where that is necessary, the Department will avail of the opportunity to review, and, where appropriate, update the scope of the project. Officials from my Department, along with the school's design team, engage with local authorities on this as a matter of common practice.