Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022
776. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the number of applications received by her Department for new school buildings in each the years 2019 to 2021; the number of applications approved; the number of buildings successfully completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1161/22]
View answerThe priority of my Department’s school building programme in recent years has been the provision of additional school places to meet demographic demand. This is being delivered by means of the Large-Scale Capital Programme which addresses new school buildings and major extensions, and through the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme which addresses smaller scale projects for additional mainstream and Special Education Needs accommodation requirements. It is the demographic demand, informed by my Department’s demographic projections of school place requirements, rather than school applications, which has primarily driven the Large-Scale Capital Programme in recent years. 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.
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. A list of all large scale projects completed since 2010 is available on my Department’s website at www.gov.ie as is a list of all ASA projects completed since 2011. Also available here are lists showing the current status of all large-scale and ASA projects being delivered under the school building programme.
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 and will incorporate the provision of ancillary accommodation for schools. The specific accommodation needs of Special Schools will additionally form part of this modernisation programme.
