Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 February 2024
178. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education if a school in County Donegal (details supplied) will be placed on the school capital building programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5092/24]
View answerThe Department is required to manage the overall school building programme so that we target and prioritise areas that are under greatest pressure for additional school places. This reflects the Department’s fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of a school place for every child.
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 in question 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.
As the Deputy will be aware, a devolved Minor Works Grant is also payable to schools. This grant provides good flexibility at local school level to make improvements to the physical infrastructure of school buildings and it is open to schools to prioritise the works they wish to undertake within the terms of the scheme. Immediate issues affecting the operation of the school can be addressed under the department’s Emergency Works Scheme (EWS).
Since 2020, my Department has invested in the region of €4.3 billion in our schools throughout the country, including the completion of over 750 school building projects with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 34 new school buildings.
School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion. We also have a large modular accommodation programme delivering urgently needed school places.
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.
