Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 563: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the measures she is taking to improve school buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35382/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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This Government is committed to modernising school buildings throughout the country and is determined to ensure that every child is educated in a suitable and comfortable environment. Under the largest school building programme in the history of the State we are investing over €500 million on school buildings in 2006.

Between 2000 and 2005 my Department invested over €2 billion on educational infrastructure on over 6,500 individual school projects. This investment is catering for the construction of new schools, large scale extensions and refurbishments, a wide range of projects under the Summer Works Scheme and a variety of other projects under devolved schemes.

While the challenge before us in reversing decades of under-investment in school buildings and in responding to emerging needs in new population areas is great, nonetheless we are making huge progress. I can assure the Deputy that the €3.9 billion capital envelope will enable my Department to continue to take a pro-active approach to transforming school accommodation throughout the country.