Under project Ireland 2040, the Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands.
In 2019, the capital allocation for the school sector amounts to €622 m.
Construction activity in 2018 and 2019 will deliver approx. 40,000 additional and replacement school places, the replacement of over 600 prefabs which is a key element of our prefab replacement programme.
In April 2018, the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022). This announcement followed nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country and the 4-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary infrastructure. In addition, on 26 April last, I announced the establishment of a further national school in Ashbourne which will open in September 2019.
I wish to advise the Deputy that the current status of large-scale projects, including those in County Kildare, being delivered under project Ireland 2040 may be viewed on my Department's website, www.education.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.
