Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2024
730. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education for an update on all school building projects for Cork north central including major capital works, minor capital works, summer works, emergency works, additional ASD units, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32259/24]
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.
Since 2020, in the region of €620 million has been invested in schools in Co. Cork, approximately €580m of which relates to the school building programme. This includes in the region of €25 million for projects under the Emergency Works Scheme and €22 million for projects under the Summer Works Scheme.
The current status of all Large Scale and Additional School Accommodation projects, including those in Cork North Central, is available at the following link: gov - Building works for the construction, extension and refurbishment of schools eur05.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.ie%2Fen%2Fcollection%2Fd73cb-building-works-for-the-construction-extension-and-refurbishment-of-schools%2F%23school-building-projects-large-scale-additional-accommodation-scheme-current-status-lists&data=05%7C02%7Cjoan_murphy%40education.gov.ie%7Cb2cb88ecaa8440b8fdc008dcaa5d4fa9%7Cf5c0d15a869347e3b506b1617300787f%7C0%7C0%7C638572564958130940%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=62FhpVqGBmpTOYmHBD7Ag1J7DqU7LFX8FIPvxsbkz%2Fc%3D&reserved=0)
The following are key updates for project delivery in schools in the Cork North Central area:
• Since 2020, 22 projects completed, including 2 new school buildings
• 3 school building projects currently under construction
• 37 school building projects moving through the various stages of design, of which 3 are new school buildings
• Since 2020, €6m allocated under the minor works grant
The NCSE have sanctioned 67 new special classes for the 2024/25 school year in Co. Cork, 43 at primary level and 24 at post primary level. Of these 67 new classes, 65 new special classes cater for students with autism, 42 at primary level and 23 at post primary level. This brings the overall number of special classes in County Cork to 563 for the 2024/25 school year, 395 at primary level and 168 at post primary level. Of these 563 special classes, 22 special classes are ASD Early Intervention, and 491 special classes cater for students with autism - 343 at primary level and 148 at post primary level. In total, almost 300 new special classes have been established in mainstream schools in Co. Cork since 2020
The table below provides details of yearly investment in the School Building Programme in Co. Cork from 2020 to date.
|
- |
Capital Expenditure on School Building Projects in Co. Cork |
||||
|
2020 (€m) |
2021(€m) |
2022(€m) |
2023(€m) |
2024(€m) |
Total (€m) |
|
94 |
101 |
158 |
185 |
45 |
583 |
