Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 579: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of general purpose rooms for primary schools for which funding was sanctioned by her Department in each year from 2001 to 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34006/06]

Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 580: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of sports halls for primary schools for which funding was sanctioned by her Department in each year from 2001 to 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34007/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 579 and 580 together.

My Department's planning guidelines for new schools include, where appropriate for PE Halls, general purpose rooms and outdoor hard play areas such as basketball courts.

Such provision is typically included in the accommodation brief for large-scale school building projects. Between 2000 and 2005 a total of 355 large-scale projects were delivered in primary schools by my Department as part of an overall investment of €2 billion in modernising primary and post-primary school accommodation throughout the country. In addition, my Department has also sanctioned a further 119 such projects in primary schools for progression to tender and construction.

While not underestimating the level of capital funding and other resources required to rectify decades of under-investment in school infrastructure, the multi-annual capital envelopes will enable my Department to adopt a multi-annual framework to the provision of modern facilities in school buildings including general purpose and sports facilities.