Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €3.5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of more than 690 school building projects. Construction is currently under way on more than 300 building and other projects. School building projects at construction stage involve an overall State investment of more than €1.2 billion. We also have 200 modular accommodation projects that are well advanced for delivery or at construction stage. This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities. The main focus of the Department’s resources over the past decade and for the coming period is the provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics.
I confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application under the additional school accommodation scheme from Corpus Christi Girls National School. 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, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation. I am pleased to confirm that the application from Corpus Christi Girls National School has been assessed and has been approved to move to the next stage. The project involves reconfiguration of the existing school and parish hall to establish two special education classes, along with two mainstream classrooms, a special education tuition room and a universal access toilet. Additionally, a request from the school's patron for a change of status to co-educational with effect from the 2024-25 school year has been approved by the Department.
The parish is making the hall available to the school in question and, as such, any use of the hall as a community space is currently a matter for the parish. The hall will ultimately form part of the overall school property. In such circumstances, any use by the community in future will be a matter for the school’s board of management. In general, the priority use of school property will be for educational purposes. However, it is Department policy to support the use of school facilities for wider community usage where possible.