Mr. Hubert Loftus:

I thank the Chair. I am pleased to have the opportunity to meet and assist the committee in its consideration of school costs, school facilities and related matters. I understand the invitation to the Department arises from its earlier submission to the committee on the provision of school places under the school building programme. The provision of school places under the school building programme was discussed during the Department's attendance at the committee meeting on 17 April and during the subsequent visit to the planning and building unit in Tullamore on 30 May. Following the committee's request on 12 July, the Department also provided a written submission to the committee on 31 July.

While issues can affect the timeline for delivery of individual projects, in overall terms the Department is satisfied that the school building programme delivers sufficient numbers of places to cater for demographic growth. The main focus of the school building programme over the past decade has been to ensure that additional school places are provided to cater for the bulge in enrolments, especially at primary level.

While national enrolments at primary level are in a peak period, localised increases continue in areas of population growth. In addition, there is a consequential sustained increase in enrolments at post-primary level and this is projected to peak in 2025. The delivery of additional permanent school places to meet demographic demand will continue to be a priority under the NDP, with an expectation of 20,000 places to be delivered annually over the medium term. The NDP will also provide for a strengthened focus on refurbishment of the existing school stock, which is an issue that has been raised by previous witnesses.

The Department also supports schools in dealing with maintenance and small-scale refurbishments of the existing school stock. This is dealt with as appropriate through the minor works grant scheme, the summer works scheme and, where necessary, the emergency works scheme.

I also understand that this session may include discussion on the provision and retention of open and green spaces to facilitate play and sports in schools. On the provision of green spaces as part of school building projects, the focus of the Department’s design guidance is to ensure that any landscaping around a school should be simple, cost effective and easy to maintain. The Department’s design guidance is not prescriptive in terms of area for green spaces but indicates that where space permits, grass kick-about practice areas can be provided. The provision of hard play areas varies with the size of school. For example, the design guidance provides for two ball courts and one junior play area for a 16-classroom primary school and for six ball courts for a 1,000 pupil post-primary school. It is important to note that the implementation of the Department’s design guidance can be affected by the size of a school site, which is particularly relevant in urban areas. The policy emphasis in the Project Ireland 2040 national planning framework is for compact growth and to deliver more housing and infrastructure within the existing built-up areas of cities, towns and villages on infill and-or brownfield sites. The logic underpinning the inclusion of hard play areas within the Department’s design guidance is to provide a play and sport facility for ongoing and intensive use by schools on a continual year-round basis. Given the Irish climate, such ongoing and intensive use is not possible on open or green spaces, particularly during winter months.

On the wider point of the retention of open or green spaces for use by schools, there are a number of matters to note regarding the decision-making function for such spaces. Most school sites are not owned by the Minister and, therefore, decisions relating to the retention of open or green spaces within the lands on which the school is situated is a matter for the landowner. It is only in circumstances where the Department has made a significant investment in those schools that a mechanism exists for the Department to have a role in the use of the school site covered by that investment. Second, some schools have use of land adjacent and external to their site for play or sport purposes. Decisions relating to the future use and retention of those lands is a matter for the owner. Finally, in circumstances where the school site, including open or green spaces, is within the ownership of the Minister, the Department has the authority to make decisions regarding the provision and retention of open or green spaces by schools.

I am happy to take questions from the committee.