Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 April 2025
797. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that an application for accommodation will be progressed without further delay due to the urgency in replacing the inadequate present accommodation at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18889/25]
View answerI can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding under the Additional School Accommodation scheme from the school in question.
The purpose of the Additional School Accommodation 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 other schools in the area.
I can confirm that a brief to offer accommodation for 1x 19m2 Special education tuition room was sent to the school for consideration, which is similar in size to the accommodation referred to by the Deputy.
The consideration of the accommodation requirements for the school in question forms part of the Planning and Building Unit’s overall assessment of its work programme and priorities in the context of available capital funding.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €5.7 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,150 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes new school buildings some of which are being delivered in phases. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.3bn.
The department previously announced that close to 90 projects, including 28 new school buildings, would be authorised to proceed from tender stage to construction over the course of 2024 and early 2025. In total, around €800 million will be invested in these projects under the department’s Large Scale Capital Programme and Additional Accommodation Scheme for essential classroom accommodation.
Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in this latest phase, investments by the Department of Education are adding over 550,000 square metres of new and modernised capacity to our school estate.?
This is a record level of investment in school buildings. It will expand the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure.? The impact of this will be felt in communities right around the country.
In County Cavan alone from 2020 to date the Department has invested €75.8 million in school infrastructure and completed 22 school building projects.
The provision of required school places, including for children with special educational needs, is a priority for my Department. My officials are working to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet the school place needs in the school in question and the wider area for 2024/25 and future years.
