John Lahart
Ceist:47. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) was omitted from the school buildings programme. [22441/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchools Building Projects Status
Ceisteanna (47)
Freagraí scríofa
I wish to clarify for the Deputy that a building project to provide a new permanent building for the school to which he refers is included on my Department’s 6 year capital programme. The project will comprise a new 16-classroom primary school with General Purpose Room and ancillary accommodation. The project will be delivered through the Design and Build approach where the contractor employs elements of off-site construction.
Architectural planning to advance the project has commenced and the tendering process for site surveys is in train. The project will then proceed to secure the necessary statutory approvals. In the context of advancing the project, a representative from my Department’s Building Unit visited the school site last week and this also provided an opportunity to update the school in relation to its project. The subsequent milestone for the project will be the submission of a planning application to the local authority.
The Deputy will be aware that the school is currently located in temporary accommodation on the site where the new school is to be constructed. The site is currently being acquired from the local authority. The Chief State Solicitor's Office is currently finalising the contract in conjunction with the local authority. My Department does not anticipate any difficulty in finalising the transaction at this stage. The finalising of the site purchase is not holding up the progression of the building project.
As the Deputy will be aware, I recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next 4 years (2019 to 2022). This announcement follows nationwide, demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country.
Questions Nos. 48 and 49 answered orally.
DEIS Administration
Ceisteanna (50)
Thomas Pringle
Ceist:50. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if DEIS funding will be reinstated for schools in County Donegal experiencing high levels of deprivation and for which families are forced to raise funds for essential maintenance in the schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22439/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
There are a total of 177 Primary Schools and 27 Post Primary Schools in County Donegal. Of these, 107 primary and 13 post primary schools avail of supports in the DEIS Programme. 60% of all primary schools and 48% of post primary schools in Donegal are in DEIS. This equates to 13.3% of all DEIS schools being based in Co. Donegal.
I wish to advise the Deputy that no school in DEIS has had a withdrawal of funding. Each school's level of funding is based on its enrolment and its level of disadvantage. Any decrease in funding provided to a school included in the DEIS Programme would be due to a drop in that school's enrolment or its level of disadvantage and not because of any policy change in funding allocation or disadvantage status.
In 2017, I was in a position to provide additional supports to 110 schools through DEIS. This was the first time since 2009 than any new school was added to DEIS. As a result, in addition to previous provision in Co. Donegal, 1 primary school got Urban Band 1 status for the first time while 2 further Primary schools were upgraded from Band 2 to Band 1 status. 18 primary schools that were designated as DEIS rural were also brought into the programme for the first time together with an additional Post Primary school.
Since the end of 2011/12 school year, the SNA allocation in Co Donegal has increased from 471.44 to 731.39, a percentage increase of over 55%.
The Special Education Teaching allocation in Co Donegal has increased from 358.46 posts at the end of the 2011/12 school year, to 497.5 posts in the current 2017/18 school year. This amounts to an increase of 38%.
The Deputy may also wish to note that my Department provides a Minor Works Grant to all schools on a yearly basis, based on enrolment. This funding allows minor works to be carried out on the physical infrastructure of schools or on the purchase of items of furniture and equipment.