Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 September 2020
142. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will consider a request to part fund a hall for a school (details supplied) that has no indoor recreational areas; and if the funding will be made available soon in order to concur with other building works. [26111/20]
View answerI am pleased to advise the Deputy that capital funding has been approved, for the school in question, to provide essential mainstream classroom accommodation. The project is currently devolved to the school authority.
The immediate priority of my Department is providing 20,000 new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place.
As the Deputy is aware, 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 Project Ireland 2040, we will invest €8.4 billion in primary and post primary school buildings. The government is committed to a PE Hall build and modernisation programme, starting in the second half of the Project Ireland 2040 period
Therefore, the school's application for funding towards a GP Hall cannot be considered at this time.
