Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 April 2018
397. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to audit school physical education and sports facilities in order that capital provision may be made for upgrading and construction of new school sports halls and facilities in budget 2019 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15751/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is fully committed to providing that schools who wish to offer the new Leaving Certificate Physical Education Specification and the Senior Cycle Physical Education Framework (non-examinable) in the future will be able to do so.
The Deputy will be aware that under the National Development Plan (NDP), increased funding has been provided for the school sector capital investment programme. This funding allows for a continued focus on the provision of new permanent school places to keep pace with demographic demand and also provides for an additional focus on the refurbishment of existing school buildings to include the building and modernisation of PE facilities in post-primary schools.
Under the Ireland Project 2040, we will invest €8.4 billion (compared to €4.9 billion in the previous decade) in primary and post primary school buildings. This will include the provision of 50 large scale school building projects and 20,000 school places in state of the art new buildings.
The immediate priority of my Department is providing 20,000 new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has a school place. The government will focus in the medium term on the provision of PE facilities in schools.
I have no plans to undertake an audit of schools' PE facilities.
