Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools with an indoor sports hall or similar facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40233/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy can be assured that My Department fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve PE facilities for all pupils attending primary schools. 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.

This year alone €506m is being invested in schools infrastructure and this is funding the delivery of over 1,300 building projects. Building on the record investment in recent years the Government is providing €3.9 billion in capital funding for the education sector over the next 5 years. This is proof of its continuing commitment to educational infrastructure and will allow my Department to adopt a multi-annual framework to the provision of modern facilities in school buildings including general purpose and sports facilities.