Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 March 2022
117. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Education the status of her plans to fund the development of indoor sports facilities in cases in which schools are lacking such facilities with specific reference to a school (details supplied) given the ongoing concerns regarding childhood obesity and inactivity. [13459/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to confirm that my Department received an application for capital funding in 2021 for a new sports hall from the school referred to by the Deputy.
The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
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 second half of the National Development Plan will see an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock. This modernisation programme will include PE Halls and associated accommodation to ensure that students in all post-primary schools have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision.
The application has been assessed and a decision has issued to the school authority directly.
