Charles Flanagan
Question:192. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Education if funding will be provided for a hall at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8672/24]
View answerTuesday, 27 February 2024
Questions (192)
Written answers
The purpose of my Department's Additional School Accommodation (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 or by available accommodation at other schools in the area.
Investment and expenditure on PE Halls is an element of the overall School Building Programme. The provision of GP rooms and PE Halls, at primary and post primary level respectively, and outdoor hard play areas, form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings.
Almost 95% of the post primary schools that made 2020 Annual Schools Returns have indicated to the Department that they either have a PE Hall, access to a nearby PE Hall, or a project in train that will deliver a new PE Hall. Practically all schools have outdoor play areas and many schools use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools.
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.
A future 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. Enhanced and modernised PE facilities will also provide important amenities for local communities.
However, the main focus of the Department’s capital funding over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics and children with special education needs.
The 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 overall position with regard to potential modernisation and replacement of existing school infrastructure will be kept under review as capital funding allocations for future years are clarified.
The Department has to prioritise its limited capital resources, in the context both of the ongoing requirement for additional school places, including Special Education Needs places, and the high construction inflation which has significantly impacted on the cost of projects that we must deliver.
I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department received an ASA application from the school in question. A project was approved to deliver 4x Mainstream classrooms and 2x Special Education Classrooms under my Department's modular framework. A request for a PE Hall does not come within the remit of the ASA scheme and the school authorities were informed of this.
My officials have met with school representatives regarding the school’s application for a PE Hall. My Department is open to exploring with the patron any alternative funding opportunities for the provision of a PE Hall at the school.