Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 32: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects the school building programme to proceed in the coming year with particular reference to the urgently emerging needs of areas in which there is a demand arising from increased population requiring new buildings and facilities or when obsolete or out-dated structures are in need of replacement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34849/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Deputy will be aware that the Government's Medium Term Infrastructure and Capital Investment Framework was published on the 10th of November. It includes an allocation for education capital of just over €2.2bn over the five years of the plan - an average annual allocation of just over €440m.

Total enrolment in both primary and post-primary schools is expected to grow by almost 70,000 between now and 2018 (over 45,000 at primary level and 25,000 at post primary) and will continue to grow up to at least 2024 at post-primary level.

The priority is now to focus on major school projects and smaller projects devolved to schools to meet the demographic demands. The primary aim will be to ensure that every child will have access to a school place.

With regard to the 2012 school building programme, I have previously committed to publishing details of this programme next month.