As part of its forward planning, my Department is currently conducting an integrated energy and condition profile for 4,000 schools across the school estate. This will provide a nationwide and systematic approach for identifying and determining priorities for investment in the school estate to address decarbonisation, condition and maintenance requirements. Work on this survey is well advanced and it is envisaged that the survey and validation process will be completed by the end of 2026. In relation to the questions raised by the Deputy, it is envisaged that this survey when completed and validated, will provide standardised and evidence based data on the condition of the school estate. Furthermore, the department has initiated a new strategic review of school rental accommodation which will address the policy issues which the Deputy has alluded to.
The NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the 2026 to 2030 will involve an investment of €7.55 billion – circa. €5 billion of which will be to support project delivery and €2.25 billion to support the operation of the school estate in terms of maintenance and improvement works etc.
There are a range of schemes in place to support school authorities in terms of dealing with condition issues in their school buildings e.g. minor works grant scheme, climate action summer works scheme and emergency works scheme. There is also a very clear responsibility on individual school authorities to ensure that they operate a good maintenance regime and my Department provides good guidance on same as well as funding and technical support via its various schemes.
It is also important to note that the use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) reflects the Government’s broader commitment to developing modern, sustainable infrastructure. MMC enhances the productivity, efficiency, and environmental sustainability of school accommodation delivery. The Modular Accommodation Framework is a key part of the Department’s strategy for the provision of good quality functional accommodation to meet the permanent accommodation requirements for prioritised individual schools. Offsite construction minimises disruption in live school environments, while factory precision and strict quality control deliver robust, low-maintenance buildings. Today’s modular buildings represent a major advancement from earlier prefabricated forms and, since December 2018, all new builds — including modular — must meet the Near Zero Energy Building (NZEB) standard, ensuring high energy efficiency and sustainability.
As part of NDP rollout, it is envisaged that there will be continued strong rollout of the Modular Accommodation Programme to meet additional permanent accommodation requirements that are deemed urgent and necessary by the Department and that cannot be met from within existing school capacity. While the intended lifespan of individual units may currently vary, modular units provided from the Department’s framework have a design life of 60 years.
