Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that; it is the nature of the job, is it not? The current national development plan, NDP, as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework, provides for an €8.8 billion investment in schools during the period from 2018 to 2027. The increased investment under the NDP is positioning the State to focus on adding and modernising capacity in the school system.

During the NDP period 2018-2020, 526 building projects were completed under the large-scale capital programme and the additional school accommodation scheme. These projects delivered in excess of 48,000 school places, including permanent accommodation for 229 special classes, and additional capacity for 67 classrooms in 14 special schools throughout the country. Of the 526 school building projects completed in the period from 2018 to 2020, 24 were delivered in County Tipperary.

The Department has a significant existing pipeline of projects to be delivered over the coming years to meet capacity needs. This is managed under the large-scale capital programme and the additional school accommodation scheme. Overall, there are 61 building projects across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction in County Tipperary, five of which fall under the large-scale capital programme and a further 56 under the additional school accommodation scheme. Two of these projects are at project brief stage, one is at detailed design stage and two are on site as we speak.

I have made arrangements for the details of these 61 school building projects to be forwarded directly to the Deputy. I believe he will accept that this represents significant progress in his constituency and will be of considerable benefit to the students and school communities. We look forward to building on that progress.

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