Update: Provision of School Buildings 10th July 2014

Uimhir:103, 104

Ceist Pharlaiminte

Chun an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíoctha
To the Minister for Education and Science

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to be in a position to provide for the replacements of existing facilities/provision of new buildings/replacement of temporary accommodation at primary and post-primary schools throughout the country in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Bernard J. Durkan.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to be in a position to provide for the replacements of existing facilities/provision of new buildings/replacement of temporary accommodation at primary and post-primary schools throughout County Kildare in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
-Bernard J. Durkan.

* For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 9th July, 2014.
Reference Number: 30018/14, 30019/14

Freagra

Minister Ruairí Quinn

I propose to take questions 103 and 104 together.

The current status of all projects on the school building programme, including those for County Kildare, may be viewed on my Department’s website at www.education.ie which is updated regularly throughout the year.

The Deputy will be aware that the 5 Year Construction Plan, that I announced in March 2012, lists the individual school projects that are planned to proceed to construction over the duration of the Plan. The Plan priorities new school building projects as well as major extensions in areas where significiant demographic need has been established, including areas in County Kildare, so that our school system is in a position to cater for increasing pupil numbers.

Further to the Five Year Plan, my Department is committed to publishing a detailed annual programme in relation to individual major school projects commencing construction. In December 2011, details of 56 major school building projects to commence construction in 2012, the first year of the Plan, were published. In December 2012, details of 50 major school building projects were announced to commence construction in 2013, the second year of the Plan. In November 2013, details of the 70 building projects to commence construction in 2014 were announced, the third year of the Plan. All three Plans are available on my Department’s website.   My Department expects to be in a position to announce details of the 2015 Plan towards the end of the current year.

In addition, due to additional funding made available for the schools’ building programme as part of the Government’s “Investing in Infrastructure and Jobs” package, 28 school projects that were not contained in the Five Year Plan but had completed extensive architectural planning are now being progressed to tender and construction. One school in County Kildare benefitted from this initiative. Details are available on the Department’s website.

Under my Department’s Prefab Replacement Initiatives 2012 and 2013, in excess of €57 million was allocated to replace prefab units with permanent accommodation nationally. The list of schools approved under these prefab replacement schemes, which includes six schools in County Kildare, is available on the Department’s website.

My Department will also consider applications from individual schools for devolved funding to meet an immediate accommodation requirement because of increased enrolments.