Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to confirm to the Deputy that the majority of schools have a general purpose room or physical education hall and practically all schools have outdoor play areas. In addition, many schools use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools.

Investment and expenditure on PE halls is an element of the overall expenditure and investment in the school building programme. The provision of PE halls and outdoor hard play areas such as basketball courts form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings or where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school. The Department provides general purpose rooms and PE halls with the construction of all new primary and post-primary schools, respectively. These facilities may also be provided where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school. In addition, the Department’s design guidelines for all new schools provide for outdoor multi-use games areas, in other words, hard play areas, and the level of play space provided varies with the size of the school. For example, a new 24-classroom primary school with special educational needs classes is provided with three ball courts, two junior play areas as well as a secure hard and soft play area and a 100 sq. m sensory garden. In respect of new post-primary schools, a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school is provided with six ball courts and a 200 sq. m secure hard and soft special education play area.

The main focus of resources over the past decade and, as the Deputy will appreciate, for the coming period is on the provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics, particularly at post-primary level and for special educational needs provision. The Deputy will appreciate the immediate priority of the Department is providing new and replacement school places each year to ensure every child has a school place. However, the second half of the national development plan period will see an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock. This will include a PE hall build and modernisation programme to ensure students in all post-primary schools have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision. The ancillary accommodation needs of primary schools, such as general purpose rooms, will also be considered. Details of large-scale projects being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed on the Department's website. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.

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