Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 November 2023
203. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Education if her Department would grant the additional funding to a school (details supplied) in County Leitrim to pay for the use of the local community centre's facilities which over the years has meant that the said school did not have to invest in new capital buildings for assembly and sports uses. [49492/23]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that where the rental of buildings or land for school accommodation is deemed necessary, the contract for this is usually between the school authority and the relevant owner of the property in question.
As the school in question is under the patronage of the Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB and is currently in receipt of funding from MSLETB for the rental of grounds/halls, the amount of funding would be a matter for discussion between both the patron of the school and the school itself.
Separately, a project to provide additional mainstream classrooms, specialist rooms and accommodation for students with special educational needs has been devolved to the ETB for delivery and is currently at Stage 1 (Preliminary Design).
Under Project Ireland 2040 the education sector will receive a total of approximately €5 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. There will be a rolling 5 year funding envelope which 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) that will facilitate building a modern and sustainable school infrastructure.
This will include a PE Hall build and modernisation programme to ensure that students in all post primary schools have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision, particularly in the context of the roll-out of P.E. as a leaving certificate subject.
