Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of schools in all regions throughout the country currently deemed in need of extension upgrading or replacement by new schools; the number of such school likely to benefit from the school building capital works programme in the current year; the way this is likely to affect the totality of the problem in view of the increased demands arising from demographic trends; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26118/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Information in respect of the current status of all assessed applications for major capital works including projects in architectural planning is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie which is updated regularly throughout the year. On 19th December 2011, I announced details of 56 major school building projects as part of €430m education infrastructure plan for 2012. The Five Year Plan that I announced on the 12th March 2012 contains details of a further 219 new major school building projects which will begin construction over the next five years as part of a €2 billion capital investment programme. Details of these projects are also contained on the website.

The Deputy will be aware of the demographic challenges that we are facing. Total enrolment in both primary and post-primary schools is expected to grow by almost 70,000 between now and 2018 and will continue to grow up to at least 2024 at post-primary level. The primary aim at the core of the Five Year Plan, that I announced on 12 March last, is focussed on meeting those demands and to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing pupil numbers. This announcement represents major advances in how the school building programme is publicised, and will provide certainty to patrons and school communities concerning the major school building projects that my Department is in a position to progress. School building projects currently in architectural planning, including those projects not included in the five year programme, will continue to be advanced incrementally over time within the context of the funding available. Projects that are at application stage can only be considered for advancement in the context of the challenges set out above.