Written Answers Nos. 63-77
70. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Education her plans to address the need for a further primary school in the high growth area of Castletroy, County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25096/21]
View answerIn order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. Castletroy is in the Limerick City school planning area.
Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand and my Department, therefore, engages with each of the local authorities to obtain up-to-date information on residential development activity. My Department has been notified by Limerick City and County Council of a significant volume of recent and planned residential development in Castletroy and across the Limerick City school planning area.
However, in the Limerick City school planning area, given a downward trend in primary school place requirements from the existing population it is expected that any school place demand that may emerge from new housing developments can be accommodated within the existing overall provision.
School place requirements nationally, including in Limerick City and in Castletroy, will continue to be kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard to the impact of the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.
Furthermore, my Department will continue to engage with Limerick City and County Council in respect of its statutory planning processes in order to anticipate and plan for future school accommodation needs across the city area.
A number of capital projects are underway in the area of Castletroy including a new 32 classroom primary school building for Monaleen National School and a new 1000 pupil post primary school for Limerick Educate Together Secondary School.
My Department also engages with patron bodies to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.
74. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if she plans to fund the provision of sports halls and gymnasiums in primary and secondary schools. [24729/21]
View answerMany schools have a general purpose room/sports hall and practically all schools have outdoor play areas. In addition, many schools, use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools.
The provision of general purpose rooms, PE halls and outdoor hard play areas such as basketball courts, form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings or where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school.
The main focus of resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics particularly at post-primary level and for special needs provision.
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 €8.8 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 NDP period which will see an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock to ensure that students in all post-primary schools have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision.
76. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education when details of the enhanced July provision programme will be announced. [25134/21]
View answerThe Government has approved the provision of significantly expanded summer education programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a Covid-19 pandemic response measure, for summer 2021.
This is an incredibly important Government decision, which ensures that for first time all primary and post primary schools have the opportunity to provide summer programmes for students with complex needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage.
The total funding available to provide the programme is up to €40 million, a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for summer provision in 2020.
The programmes for mainstream students in primary and post-primary schools are new programmes for 2021, building upon previous summer programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those in provided in DEIS schools last year.
Enhanced measures have been put in place to encourage schools to offer the programme, including measures to reduce the administrative burden, provision of funding to schools towards preparation and overseeing of the programmes, earlier payment of school staff and provision to recruit newly qualified teachers graduating this summer to work on the programme.
The programme’s aims are to support students to re-engage with education, to build their confidence and increase their motivation, promote well-being and for some who are at key transition stages, help to ensure they can move on to their planned educational placement next September along with their peers.
A home-based summer programme will continue to be available for students with complex needs where their schools are not providing a school based programme.
The programmes were developed following extensive engagement with education and disability stakeholders. My Department is now working to ensure the necessary supports, guidance and information is made available to both schools and families.
I encourage the school communities to take full advantage of this opportunity and offer this valuable programme to their students.
