Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 May 2023
144. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a breakdown, by county, of the number of new school builds between 2016 to 2019, in tabular form; if she will provide a similar breakdown, by county, of the number of new school builds between 2020 and to date in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25364/23]
View answerThrough Project Ireland 2040, we are investing €4.4 billion over the period 2021 to 2025, to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost one million students and over 100,000 staff that learn and work in our schools every day.
My Department has a proven track record of delivery. During the period 2018 to 2022, nearly 900 school building projects were completed.
The key drivers of capital investment in the schools sector are as follows:
•demographic change, including keeping pace with delivery of SEN and accommodation for Ukrainian pupils particularly at Post Primary
•alignment with housing provision and national planning at school planning area level,
•construction costs,
•climate action objectives including deep energy retrofit.
My Department completed over 180 projects last year within a challenging construction sector environment of high inflation, labour shortages and supply chain issues. This year alone, in excess of 300 school building projects are currently under construction, including 40 new school buildings and 260 projects at existing schools.
Key priorities for my Department are supporting the operation of the school system and adding necessary capacity to cater for special education needs provision, mainstream demographics and catering for students from Ukraine and other countries under the International Protection system.
The current status of all school building projects from 2010 to date is listed on a county by county basis at www.gov.ie and is updated on a regular basis to reflect their progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
