Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2024
685. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education the funding provided for school building projects in Galway, including brief details of each project, in each year since 2020, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32020/24]
View answerSince 2020, my department has invested in the region of €4.9 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 900 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 30 new school buildings. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2bn.
I also announced earlier in the year that close to 90 projects, including 28 new school buildings, would be authorised to proceed from tender stage to construction over the course of 2024 and early 2025. In total, around €800 million will be invested in these projects under the department’s Large Scale Capital Programme and Additional Accommodation Scheme for essential classroom accommodation.
Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in this latest phase, investments by the Department of Education are adding over 550,000 square metres of new and modernised capacity to our school estate.
This is a record level of investment in school buildings. It will expand the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure. The impact of this will be felt in communities right around the country.
The key drivers of capital investment in the schools sector include:
• demographic growth, particularly at post primary level
• increased demand for special educational needs provision
• alignment of school place provision with new housing development
• climate action objectives including deep energy retrofit.
Since 2020, in the region of€155 million has been invested in Co. Galway schools. Of this over €147 million relates to investment under the school building programme.
Between 2020 to date 65 school building projects have been completed in Co. Galway, including 3 new schools.
Currently there are 19 school building projects under construction in Co. Galway, including 1 new school.
There are also 85 school building projects (Large Scale/ASA/Modular) in Co. Galway moving through the various stages of design, of which 16 are new school projects.
These projects are being delivered to ambitious timeframes, and the position on individual projects evolves all the time as they advance through various stages. The status of all projects is set out at(www.gov.ie) . This is updated on a regular basis to reflect project progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
The table below provides details of yearly investment in the School Building Programme in Co. Galway from 2020 to date.
Capital Expenditure on School Building Projects in Co. Galway
|
2020 (€m) |
2021(€m) |
2022(€m) |
2023(€m) |
2024(€m) |
Total (€m) |
|
32 |
28 |
27 |
38 |
22 |
147 |
