Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)

I thank both Deputies. I acknowledge their commitment and support for the previous debate with regard to the N24 and N25. On behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Naughton, I am taking this debate.

The Department of Education and Youth has a strong record of delivering the Government's school building programme. Since 2020, more than €6 billion has been invented in schools across the country under the national development plan, NDP, involving the completion of over 1,300 school buildings. In July, the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026 to 2030 under the NDP. As part of this NDP allocation, the Department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting the demand for school places. A focus of this plan will be, in the first instance, to maximise the capacity of existing school estates as much as possible. Additional capacity will be provided through targeted and prioritised projects, which will be delivered over the course of 2026 to 2030, to meet the most urgent and prioritised needs.

There are over 300 school building projects under construction to deliver over 30,000 school places. Most of these projects are expected to be completed over the course of 2026 and 2027. It is planned that approximately 80 further school building projects will progress to construction across 2026 and 2027 as part of a two-year rolling programme. Last week, the Minister's Department announced the investment of €90 million in the climate action summer works scheme, which involves the delivery of 297 projects, to support the ongoing investment in the maintenance and upgrade of the school estate. There is a strong modular programme to deliver the most urgent September needs, with a particular focus on educational needs. We will deliver on key climate initiatives, such as the solar PV programme, the EU retrofit programme and the pathfinder programmes, in participation with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI.

Project delivery is managed as part of an overall capital programme in line with the Government's infrastructure guidelines and taking account of budgetary parameters. Delays can occur in large capital programmes for many reasons, including factors beyond the control of the Minister and the Department, such as the time taken to secure a site or the relevant statutory permissions, including planning consent. These are managed as effectively as possible, prioritising the most urgent projects where capacity is fully utilised and deploying modular accommodation where additional space is needed in the short term. I take on board the Deputy's concern over that type of accommodation. The current status of all projects is set out on the Government's website, which is updated on a regular basis to reflect project progress through various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.

I strongly acknowledge, on behalf of the Minister, the commitment of both Deputies to this issue. It is important to teachers, parents, grandparents and, most important, the students. I appreciate the Deputies diligently going to the schools in their localities. They are meeting the concerns of those people and, most important, the students head-on. The Deputies have put that message on the record of the Dáil. On behalf of the Minister, I acknowledge their work and commitment on this important issue. It will be relayed to the Minister. I have read the Minister's response. I hope the Deputies will be successful in their endeavours on behalf of their constituents.

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