Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 November 2024
153. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of applications received from schools in Longford and Westmeath under the major capital works scheme; and the number granted to date in 2024. [45794/24]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department received 6 applications from Longford and 3 applications from Westmeath for major capital funding, through the Additional School Accommodation(ASA) scheme.
I can also confirm that in 2024 my Department approved funding for 8 projects in Longford and 10 projects in Co Westmeath.
The purpose of the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
Since 2020 my Department has invested over €5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 950 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 350 other projects, which includes 37 new school buildings. These 350 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.5bn.
The Department announced earlier this 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.
The Department's website provides a list, by county, of all projects being progressed under the large scale and additional accommodation scheme. This is available here: gov - Building works for the construction, extension and refurbishment of schools (www.gov.ie) .
The information requested by the Deputy is in the attachment provided.
