Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 December 2021
386. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of applications for new school buildings received; the number of applications successfully approved; and the number of new schools successfully built in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [62670/21]
View answer393. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of schools that have a school hall by primary, secondary and special school in tabular form. [62702/21]
View answer395. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of DEIS schools that have a school hall by primary and secondary in tabular form. [62704/21]
View answer396. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of DEIS schools that do not have a school hall by primary and secondary in tabular form. [62705/21]
View answer397. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of schools that do not have a school hall by primary, secondary and special school in tabular form. [62706/21]
View answer400. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of applications received by her Department for the building of a school hall; and the number of applications which were successfully approved in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021, distinguished by primary, secondary and special school in tabular form. [62709/21]
View answer401. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of school hall builds which were completed in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021, distinguished by primary, secondary and special school. [62710/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 386, 393, 395 to 397, inclusive, 400 and 401 together.
My Department provides general purpose and PE halls with the construction of all new primary and post primary schools respectively. These facilities may also be provided where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school.
Investment and expenditure on PE halls is an element of the overall expenditure and investment in the School Building Programme. The provision of 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.
Circa. 70% of primary schools have indicated to the Department as part of their 2020 Annual Schools Returns that they either have or have access to a nearby GP Room. Of the remainder, approximately 60 schools have major building projects in train that will deliver new GP Room accommodation.
At post primary level, almost 90% of schools have indicated that they either have or have access to a nearby PE Hall. Of the remainder, over 25 schools have major building projects in train that will deliver new PE Hall accommodation.
During the NDP period 2018-2020 there were 526 completed building projects under the Large-Scale Capital Programme and the Additional Accommodation Scheme, including 180 completed in 2020. Many of these projects would have included PE hall or GP room provision, though the detail requested by the Deputy is not readily available.
However, I can confirm that there are currently 377 schools (338 projects) listed on the Large Scale Capital Programme which would be expected to provide new PE halls at post-primary level (where none exist already) or GP halls at primary level (where none exist already).
Details of large-scale projects being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed on my Department's website at www.gov.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.
As the Deputy will be aware, 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 education needs provision. The Deputy will appreciate that the immediate priority of my Department is providing new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has a school place.
Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. There will be a rolling 5 year funding envelope will be updated annually for the period 2026 to 2030 within the Government’s overall NDP funding envelope of €136 billion in exchequer capital (€165 billion total capital including non-Exchequer) and will facilitate building a modern and sustainable school infrastructure.
This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. The strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock will have different strands which includes PE build and modernisation programme which will enable students in post-primary schools to have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision, particularly also in the context of the roll-out of PE as a leaving certificate subject. Enhanced and modernised PE facilities will also provide important amenities for local communities. This planned investment in the existing school stock will also incorporate the provision of ancillary accommodation such as GP rooms at primary level. The specific accommodation needs of Special Schools will additionally form part of this modernisation programme.
