1215. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a Limerick school (details supplied) can expect the technical team of her Department to provide approval for the school to go to tender to replace a rotting roof at their premises considering the application was submitted in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23608/26]

The school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter my Department’s pipeline of school building buildings under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme for a project providing a two-classroom Special Educational Needs (SEN) base, one mainstream classroom and roof works. This project is devolved to the school authority for delivery.

I can confirm that the Stage 2b (post planning) report was submitted to my Department and is currently under review. All projects, including this one, will undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the Infrastructure Guidelines.  Given the detailed nature of the evaluation process, the need to ensure full cost compliance, and the requirement to align the project with the prioritisation framework under the National Development Plan, this review process is necessarily thorough. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall programme.

My Department is actively progressing internal discussions regarding this school, and exploring viable approaches to address the immediate concerns raised. Although no final decisions have been made at this point, the school has been assured that the matter is under active consideration.

As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030.  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. In this regard there will be a strong special education dimension to project rollout.

As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, the 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 having regard to the continual need to maximise existing capacity and determine the prioritised needs going forward. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender.  The department-led Energy and Condition Survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities.

Based on this ongoing prioritisation process some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027 having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account also of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding.  Where appropriate, the department will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.

Any interim accommodation requirements will continue to be assessed and considered by the department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing same.