Schools Building Projects
Dail Éireann — 2026-03-19
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Marian Harkin (IND), Sligo-Leitrim

I thank the Deputy for the question. It is clear that he has been in the position I am in now, and he understands the circumstances. I must give him the response that I have been provided with. In whatever way I can, I will try to address the Deputy’s questions. They give me the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister, to outline the current position in relation to the joint school project for St. John Bosco Junior Boys School, St. John Bosco Senior Boys School and Mary Help of Christians Girls National School, all in Dublin 7.
This joint school building project will deliver two new 16-classroom primary schools with additional classrooms for children with special educational needs for both the senior boys' school and the girls' school, and a new 11-classroom primary school with additional classrooms for children with special educational needs for the junior boys' school. Initially, as the Deputy pointed out, it had been anticipated that this joint project would be delivered in the form of an extension and refurbishment. However, due to a scope change to include an increase in the number of classrooms for children with special educational needs, it was decided that new school buildings would be provided. The design team submitted the initial stage 1 report in April 2023, and following the submission of an addendum report in August 2023, the project was approved to the next stage.
The design team submitted its stage 2A submission report in January 2024. Upon review, some key concerns were identified by the Department. From January 2024 to May 2025, there was significant communication between the design team and the Department to discuss and assist in progressing the stage 2A submission to include a review and audit of the floor area schedules, and to refine some design elements to meet the approved schedule of accommodation.
Upon receipt of the revised stage 2A report, Department officials carried out an initial review, and in early June 2025, a further meeting was held, with the wider design team, school authorities and Department officials in attendance. At that meeting, the school was provided with a progress update and advised that the design team was due to submit an addendum stage 2A report to the Department. The outstanding information for the addendum stage 2A report was received by the Department on 31 October last year and is under review by Department officials.
In July the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026 to 2030 under the national development plan. As the Deputy is aware, as part of this allocation the 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 the project roll-out 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 to provide necessary additional capacity through targeted and prioritised project roll-out over the course of 2026 to 2030.
Deputy O'Gorman asked about a date for a meeting with the school design team and how one gets on the priority list. I suspect that virtually every TD in the Dáil would like an answer to that question. That does not take away from the fact that he wants and needs it and these schools need to hear about it. I will pass on his request to the Minister and, hopefully, she will be able to give him some assistance.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-03-19/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:45+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-19