371. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the new build for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51369/26]

The school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter my Department’s pipeline of school building projects to provide fifteen general classrooms, five special education tuition (SET) rooms, a two classroom special educational needs (SEN) base, one music room, one multi-media room, one art room, one construction studies room, one technology prep room, two project stores (one tech, one art), two science labs, one prep area, one design/computer graphics room and ancillary.

This project is currently at stage 2b (detailed design). A stage 2b report was submitted to my Department in January 2026 and is currently under review. All projects, including this one, are subject to the full due diligence requirements set out in my department’s infrastructure guidelines. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall programme.

Given the complexity of the evaluation and the need to ensure full cost compliance and alignment with the National Development Plan, this review is necessarily thorough.

The accommodation needs at this school will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities. Progression to the next phase is contingent on the outcome of the review and the project’s alignment with the prioritisation framework under the National Development Plan.