The school identified here in incorrect. Confirmation was received that the question relates to Our Ladys Greenhills Drogheda, RN 63850F
I can confirm to the Deputy that an application under the department’s Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) Scheme for PE hall upgrade was received from the school in question.
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 or by available accommodation at other schools in the area.
GP Rooms and PE Halls are included in the construction of all new primary and post-primary schools, respectively. Currently, approximately 90% of post-primary schools have indicated that they either have access to a PE Hall or have one on-site, with a further 5% having projects in the pipeline that will deliver such facilities. At primary level, around 70% of schools have reported having access to a GP Room, while an additional 2.5% have projects planned to provide one. These facilities play a vital role not only in supporting physical education but also in strengthening community infrastructure—particularly in developing areas where access to social amenities may be limited.
A key part of NDP rollout is the completion of circa 300 school building projects currently in construction. The majority of these projects are expected to be completed in 2026 and will deliver over 30,000 school places in total including 14 PE halls. Progress will continue to be made under the NDP Investment Plan on both new and modernised PE Hall and GP Room provision as part of the rollout of new schools and large-scale projects in the existing pipeline. Funding will be invested to support curricular delivery and well-being across schools which will prioritise the development of PE halls and sporting facilities (including yards and play areas) in conjunction with the Sports Capital Fund to deliver for both schools and communities. Additional initiatives to be rolled out over the course of the 2026 to 2030 NDP period include a PE Hall programme targeting post-primary schools that do not yet have dedicated PE Hall facilities, for delivery from 2029 onwards.
The department has provided €118.56 million in capital funding for County Louth schools between 2020 and 2025. Over that period, a total of 27 schools have been upgraded either through provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation. There are also currently 5 school projects in County Louth under construction. We also have a large modular accommodation programme delivering urgently needed school places
I can confirm to the Deputy that a department official has recently engaged with the school in relation to their application.
