Brendan Smith
Ceist:238. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the present status of an application for new facilities at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21998/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 1 May 2025
Ceisteanna (238)
Freagraí scríofa
The school to which the Deputy refers was granted funding under my department's 2021 Additional Schools (ASA) Scheme to provide one home economics room, one engineering room and preparation area, and one construction preparation/store area.
The purpose of the 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 or by available accommodation at other schools in the area. A request for a PE Hall does not fall within the remit of the ASA scheme.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €5.9 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,350 school building projects.? Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in the coming months, investments by the Department of Education are adding over 610,000 square metres of new and modernised capacity to our school estate.
In County Cavan, alone from 2020 to date, the Department has invested €77.3 million in school infrastructure and completed 27 school building projects.
A future strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock will have different strands and will include a PE build and modernisation programme which will enable students in post-primary schools to have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision, particularly also in the context of the roll-out of PE as a leaving-certificate subject. Enhanced and modernised PE facilities will also provide important amenities for local communities.
However, the main focus of my department’s capital funding over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics and children with special education needs.
My department is required to manage the overall school building programme so that we target and prioritise areas that are under greatest pressure for additional school places. This reflects my department’s fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of a school place for every child. The overall position with regard to potential modernisation and replacement of existing school infrastructure will be kept under review as capital funding allocations for future years are clarified.