Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to be clear that the school building programme continues apace. It is to the credit of all involved that even during lockdown, we managed to continue to do the work that needed to be done. There is no question of the school building programme not progressing as it should, and rightly so.

The primary issue raised by the Deputy related to accommodation being made for Ukrainian students. I reiterate to the House the commitment of the Government to welcoming people fleeing the war in Ukraine and seeking protection here in Ireland. I appreciate that is also the view of the Deputy, as it is the shared view of this House. The Department's primary concern is to ensure that children and young people of schoolgoing age from Ukraine are provided with appropriate educational opportunities in the coming period.

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to address this matter. The Department already has valuable data, as I have outlined, on the potential capacity of schools and is working to supplement this further through engagement with schools and education partners. The Department's GIS facilitates spatial analysis and reporting capabilities to better interpret and utilise this data. Arrangements for the REALT to have access to this information are currently being put in place and this will support those teams in their work to find appropriate school places for Ukrainian children.

To be clear in terms of capacity and demands, going forward, we have a significant building programme in acknowledgement that there will be growth and specific development in particular areas, which demands particular consideration. Some areas have been designated as having growth potential and as areas of high growth as a consequence of our GIS studies and engagement with the local authorities, which are a significant source of information for future planning. All of these points are taken into consideration when areas are designated and earmarked for future development.

See this speech in context