Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for Education has asked me to answer this question on her behalf. This provides me with the opportunity to clarify the position in relation to the Department of Education's plans for upgrading school buildings, including St. Fergal's College, Rathdowney, County Laois. The Deputy may be aware that St. Fergal's College is a multidenominational, co-educational, post-primary school in the town of Rathdowney. In 2022, the school had an enrolment of 334 pupils. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Department approved capital funding for the college in 2022 for the provision of four general classrooms, including two general classroom prefab replacements, as well as classrooms for students with special educational needs. It is proposed this accommodation would be procured under the Department's new sustainable accommodation framework. The sustainable accommodation procured under the framework is timber frame with low-carbon and high-energy performance, in support of the Department's climate action goals. The project was devolved to the school's patron, Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board, for delivery, with the initial approval letter issued to the education and training board on 9 September 2022. The Department's planning and building unit also received, as part of the additional school accommodation, ASA, application in November 2021 a request from St. Fergal's College seeking capital funding for the provision of a PE hall. The school authority was informed in writing at that time that funding for PE halls is not included under the parameters of ASA scheme.

My Department has a strong track record of delivery of school building projects and this was achieved again in 2022, despite the wider construction sector environment of high inflation, labour shortages, and supply-chain issues. Approximately 180 school building projects were delivered during 2022 and a further 273 school building projects continued in construction at start of 2023, most of which will be completed in 2023. I appreciate the strong support provided by the Government for our education budget. As part of the supplementary budget, €300 million in additional capital funding was provided in 2022. This helped to alleviate capital funding pressures that arose in 2022, which was reflected of the strong delivery by the Department of school building projects, particularly to support mainstream provision and special educational needs provision. The Department's overall capital outturn for 2022 was €1.12 billion.

The Department's planning and building unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 in the context of its available funding. The Department's published national development plan allocations for 2023 is €860 million. High construction inflation remains a continuing feature of the construction sector for 2023. As part of its planning ahead for 2023, the Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in respect of capital funding pressures in order to continue to be able to adequately support the operation of the school system with the roll-out of school building projects to construction in 2023. Key priorities for the Department's work programme include continuing strong delivery to support the operation of the school system, with particular regard to planning ahead for the 2023-24 school year and beyond, as well as to supporting special needs provision. Investment and expenditure on PE halls is an element of this programme expenditure an investment in school building programme.

Under the national development plan, there will be a strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock. This will have different strands and will include a PE build and modernisation programme, which will enable students in post-primary schools to have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision, particularly in context of the roll-out of PE as leading certificate subject. Enhanced and modernised PE facilities will also provide important amenities for local communities.

I again thank the Deputy for giving me an opportunity to outline the Department's position. The Department has approved additional accommodation for St. Fergal's College using the new sustainable modular accommodation framework. This accommodation will provide additional general-purpose classrooms, as well as including provisions of students with special needs. As the Deputy will appreciate, the provision of school places, including for children with special needs, is a priority for the Department. Funding for PE halls is outside the scope of the Department's additional school accommodation scheme, but it will be considered as part of a future modernisation programme under the national development plan. The Department will continue to work to delivered building projects in support of the operation of the school system, with particular regard to planning ahead for the 2023-24 school year and beyond, in addition to supporting special needs provision.

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