Schools Building Projects

Is scoil dara leibhéal, lán-Ghaeilge í Gaelcholáiste Reachrann. Tá sí lonnaithe i measc seomraí ranga atá ar iasacht ón scoil béal dorais. Tá prefabs in úsáid aici chomh maith. Beagnach 25 bliain ó shin, gealladh go mbeadh foirgneamh á sholáthar ag an Roinn chuig pobal na scoile, ach níl sé sin tar éis tarlú go fóill in ainneoin an ama sin ar fad. Tar éis na moille seo ar fad, tá dul chun cinn beag déanta againn. D’imigh an foirgneamh amach le haghaidh tairiscintí an bhliain seo. Tugadh gealltanas dúinn ar fad go mbeadh an tógáil ag tosú sa ráithe deireanach den bhliain, ach níor tharla sé sin go fóill agus an chéad trian den ráithe sin beagnach imithe. Tá daltaí, foireann agus pobal na scoile ar fad ag fanacht rófhada don scoil nua seo. Caithfear brú áirithe a chur ar an Roinn chun an scoil seo a sholáthar gan a thuilleadh moille.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity to outline to the Dáil the current position in relation to the new school building of Gaelcholáiste Reachrann in Dublin 13. This school building project will cater for a long-term projected enrolment of 600 students with additional classrooms for children with special educational needs. It is a project which has been a long time in development. The preliminary design stage 1 focused on assessing the most appropriate options for locating the new school building on the school site at Grange Community College. This work included site surveys and an assessment of impact on the existing Grange Community College school. The process confirmed the viability of the project on the Grange Community College site and enabled my Department to approve the project to stage 2A of the design process in February 2013. The design team submitted its stage 2A report in August 2015 and my Department authorised the design team to progress to stage 2B in February 2017. As the Deputy is aware, the original grant of planning was due to expire in December 2022. Due to changes to the planning Acts in September 2021, a new application was required and the final grant of planning permission was received in December 2023. I am pleased to inform the Dáil that the invitation to tender issued late in the fourth quarter of 2025. Tenders have recently been returned, and the design team is currently carrying out a detailed review in order to submit the tender report to my Department. It is envisaged that construction will commence in the fourth quarter of 2026. Since 2020, the Department of education has provided over €2 billion in capital funding for Dublin schools. Over this period, a total of 300 schools have been upgraded through provision of either a new school building, extension, modular accommodation or climate pathfinder projects. Some 20 school projects to go to tender or construction in 2026 and 2027 were included in the NDP implementation plan, including Gaelcholáiste Reachrann. There are currently 47 large scale extension, modular or climate pathfinder projects in Dublin under construction. There are also 53 projects under way through the climate action summer works scheme. In addition, since 2020 a total of 541 special classes have been sanctioned in Dublin, of which 140 were sanctioned for September 2026.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Dhá bhliain ó shin, bhrath daltaí, tuismitheoirí, bord bainistíochta agus foireann na scoile nach raibh aon dul as acu ach dul amach ar an mbóthar ag agóidíocht de bharr na moille agus easpa soiléireachta ó thaobh spriocdhátaí don próiseas tógála de. Is mór an náire atá ar an Roinn gur thóg sé 25 bliain le teacht chuig an bpointe seo. D’imigh daltaí, a thosaigh a gcuid oideachais dara leibhéil leis an ngealltanas go mbeadh scoil nua ar fáil dóibh, tríd an córas i sean prefabs a bhí briste agus fuar. Tá na daltaí sin críochnaithe lena gcuid oideachais anois. Níl sé seo maith go leor. Cathain a bheidh na tarracóirí agus na tógálaithe ar an suíomh ag obair ar an tionscnamh áirithe seo?

It is envisaged that construction will commence in the fourth quarter of 2026. When I came into this Department earlier this year, Gaelcholáiste Reachrann was announced as part of the 105 school building projects on the NDP list, so this is a priority for my Department and, as I have said, it is due to go to commence construction in the fourth quarter of this year.