Concern raised as funding pressures delay school-building projects

Funding delays have caused several school-building projects to be paused. 

Educate Together has expressed its “serious concern” in school construction delays, as it said a number of projects due to begin building this year have now been put on hold due to funding pressures.

It says vital school-building projects should now progress and be put out to tender “as a matter of urgency”.

Schools impacted include two in Dublin’s Harold Cross and one in Shellybanks and Sandymount Park.

The schools are currently in temporary accommodation on their permanent sites.

Educate Together said the schools were opened to cater for the growing population in these areas, and will simply run out of space if construction does not commence as soon as possible.

Having opened 50 new schools in the last 10 years, it said there are currently 29 primary and 14 second-level Educate Together schools in temporary accommodation and are awaiting permanent buildings.

Inflation has plagued the construction sector over the last year, and it is feared it may impact housing delivery this year as many projects become unviable.

With these issues also affecting schools, Educate Together chief executive Emer Nowlan said: “We understand that a hold has been placed on a number of projects, and we are very concerned about the impact this will have on schools that are already under considerable pressure.

“If this is a question of funding, then it is a false economy — any delays in construction will simply increase temporary accommodation costs, as well as limiting the development of these new schools. We are also concerned about the wider impact on the school building programme if these projects are delayed.” 

She cited an ESRI study from 2021 which highlighted negative impacts for students and school leaders of sustained periods in temporary accommodation. The Department of Education is undertaking a review of building projects, Educate Together said.

Sandymount Park ETSS principal Paula Mulhall said the pausing of the tender to build their permanent school buildings was “extremely disappointing”.

“We have worked tirelessly since we opened in 2018 and are delighted that the demand for places in Sandymount Park ETSS is consistently high,” she said.

“However, due to the limitations of our interim accommodation our enrolment numbers are restricted and we have a long waitlist of disappointed students whose first preference is to join our school.” 

Ms Mulhall added the school could not offer the full range of practical subjects without permanent buildings, despite being able to adjust to this in the short term.

She added: “A protracted delay to the tender for the permanent build will disadvantage our students into the long term. We urge the Government to progress the school building programme and deliver on their responsibilities to our students.”