Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 7 September 2018
364. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of applications by a school (details supplied) for the extension of its technology room and the provision of a physical education hall. [36743/18]
View answerA project involving upgrade works to the technology room in the school referred to by the Deputy has been devolved for delivery to the local Education & Training Board (ETB). The project has recently been tendered by the ETB and a tender report is due to be submitted to the Department shortly.
A further application was subsequently received by my Department in relation to the construction of a PE Hall at the school in question. As my Department's priority is the provision of essential classroom accommodation to meet demographic need, the element of the school's application relating to classroom accommodation was therefore prioritised for consideration. In this regard, my Department approved funding to the school to extend the existing Woodwork room. This building project was also devolved to Donegal ETB for delivery.
Under the National Development Plan (NDP), increased funding has been provided for the school sector capital investment programme. This funding allows for a continued focus on the provision of new permanent school places to keep pace with demographic demand and also provides for an additional focus on the refurbishment of existing school buildings to include the building and modernisation of PE facilities in post-primary schools.
Under the Ireland Project 2040, we will invest €8.4 billion (compared to €4.9 billion in the previous decade) in primary and post primary school buildings. This will include the provision of 50 large scale school building projects and 20,000 school places in state of the art new buildings.
The immediate priority of my Department is providing 20,000 new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has a school place. The government will focus in the medium term on the provision of PE facilities in schools.
