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Physical Education Facilities

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 March 2013

Wednesday, 6 March 2013

Questions (91, 104)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

91. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding streams available through his Department to local clubs or local schools for the provision of new pitches and sports facilities in schools for use by pupils and the wider community. [11824/13]

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Róisín Shortall

Question:

104. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding streams available through his Department to local clubs or local schools for the provision of new pitches and sports facilities in schools for use by pupils and the wider community. [11882/13]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 104 together.

I understand that the Deputy's office has confirmed that the question relates to the funding streams that are available to local schools for the facilities in question. The Physical Education curriculum has been designed on the basis that facilities in schools may vary. Many primary schools have a general purpose room and practically all schools have outdoor play areas which are used for teaching different aspects of the P.E. programme. A similar situation with sports halls and outdoor facilities applies at second level. In addition, many schools use adjacent local facilities, including public parks, playing fields and swimming pools.

My Department's design guidelines for schools include guidance in the provision of P.E. Halls, general purpose rooms and outdoor hard play areas such as basketball courts. Other P.E. facilities e.g. pitches are provided, where appropriate and in the context of available resources, as part of the Department's school building programme. The provision of playing pitches is not part of the specification for primary schools. However, in certain circumstances and where the site conditions allow, the project scope may include the levelling and grassing of an area which schools may decide to use for playing fields. At post primary level, an area may be developed as a practice playing field where site conditions and resources permit.

In the context of my Department's co-operation with local authorities in identifying suitable sites for schools, the location of sporting facilities is one factor taken into account in locating schools. The Deputy may be aware of my Department's role in developing shared community facilities in the Fingal County Council area, which has made facilities available to the wider community on a shared basis with the school.

Given the current financial constraints within which my Department is operating, priority is being given to applications from schools for essential mainstream classroom accommodation. In this regard, my Department is not in a position to consider applications from schools for funding towards pitches or sports facilities outside of the context of school projects on the building programme. My Department will however continue to provide general purpose rooms, PE Halls and outdoor play areas in schools where new schools are being provided within the context of available funding. It is open to local communities to liaise directly with schools regarding the potential use of school facilities after school hours.

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