Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024
590. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education when she can confirm that provision for a new school campus (details supplied) on a new greenfield site will be included in the school capital buildings programme, with a clear timeline for delivery. [1038/24]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question is not on the Department's Capital Building Programme.
The main focus of the department’s resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics .
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 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 significant investment is intended to allow us to move forward with certainty on modernising our school infrastructure 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 deep-energy retrofit programme in support of our 2030 and 2050 Climate Action Goals.
Following a request from the school for a new school my department made contact with the school to see if short to medium term solutions could be carried out under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA) The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
I can confirm to the Deputy that funding was approved in 2021 for a building project under my Department’s ASA scheme that would provide for 2 mainstream classrooms and 2 special education tuition rooms for the school in question. This project is currently at stage 3 with our delivery team.
In addition further funding was approved under the ASA scheme in 2022 for modular accommodation to provide 1 mainstream classroom and 2 special education tuition rooms. In early 2023, the brief for the school was reviewed and increased to provide 1 Special Education classroom in addition to 1 mainstream classroom and 2 Special education tuition rooms.
Where there is a need for accelerated delivery of such accommodation my Department utilises Modern Methods of Construction, including my Department's Modular Accommodation Framework, to meet the accommodation need. My Department has additionally put Project Management provision in place to support schools in the expedited delivery. The modular project is currently at delivery stage.
Immediate issues affecting the operation of the school can be addressed under the department’s Emergency Works Scheme (EWS). The issue of road safety measures in the road network outside the area of vested school sites such as road signage, traffic calming measures, car parking and pedestrian facilities are the responsibility in the first instance of the relevant local authority. Local Authorities have the power to decide on road safety measures outside schools to ensure that measures are in place to protect the safety of local school children. My Department has no function in this matter
Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €3.5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 690 school building projects, and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects.
School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion. We also have 200 modular accommodation projects that are very well advanced for delivery or at construction stage. This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities.
I can assure the Deputy that my department is working to ensure that there is appropriate school accommodation in place to meet the school place needs of all children.
