Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 June 2021
135. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education the status of the Capital Plan 2016-2021; the number of projects that remain to be commenced; her plans for the schools that need capital investment but are not included in the current plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29957/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraDuring the National Development Plan period 2018 to 2020, 526 school building projects were completed under the Large Scale Capital Programme (LSCP) and the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA). These projects delivered in excess of 48,000 school places, which included permanent accommodation for 229 special classes and additional capacity for 67 classrooms in 14 special schools throughout the country.
The Department has a significant existing pipeline of projects to be delivered over the coming years to meet capacity needs managed under the Large-Scale Capital Programme (LSCP) and the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA). This includes circa 1,200 school building projects across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction. There are currently in excess of 200 projects currently at construction, most of which will be completed in 2021.
The current status of projects being delivered is listed on a county by county basis on the Department of Education and Skill’s website at www.education.ie and updated on a monthly basis to reflect their progress through the various stages.
The main focus of resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics. The immediate priority of my Department is providing new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has a school place.
The second half of the NDP (from 2023 onwards) will see an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock.
