Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2023
253. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education the status of the building application submitted by a school (details supplied); when a decision will be made in respect of the application; when works are likely to commence and be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39564/23]
View answerI am pleased to advise that the project referred to by the Deputy was granted funding under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme to provide 1 engineering room, 1 engineering preparation room, 1 construction preparation/store area and 1 home economics room. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and was approved to progress to stage 2b (planning). Once the stage 2b report is received, it will be reviewed by my Department, and the recommendations will be communicated directly to the school authority. At this stage of the project, it is not possible to provide a timeframe for delivery.
My Department recently received a further application from the school authority under the ASA scheme seeking funding for a new Gym / PE hall and social space for students. The main focus of the Department’s resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on the provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics particularly at post-primary level, and for provision to meet the needs of children with special educational needs. The Department will continue to work to ensure that capital investment in schools is targeted in the most efficient and effective way to support schools in meeting the education needs of their students and communities.
This significant investment allows the Department to move forward with certainty on its 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 include a 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. It is in this context that a request for a Gym/PE Hall will be considered for the school referred to by the Deputy and a decision issued directly to the school authority shortly.
