Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has considered the way to prioritise school building projects that are not on his Department's five year capital programme in the event of additional funding being made available or if scheduled projects are delayed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13451/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy may be aware, my priority is to ensure that there is sufficient school accommodation to meet projected pupil enrolment increases into the future. The 5 Year Plan that I announced in March 2012, together with my recent announcement of the 50 school projects which are scheduled for construction in the current year as part of a €2 billion capital investment programme, outlines the major school projects that will commence construction over the duration of the Plan. The primary aim at the core of the Five Year Plan is focussed on meeting demographic demands 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.

In addition, my Department will consider applications by schools for funding for additional classrooms, which schools may provide on a permanent basis, where an immediate enrolment need is arising. It is not possible to progress all projects within the Department's building programme concurrently due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of essential additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements. School building projects which have not been included in the five year construction programme, but which were announced for initial inclusion in the building programme will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to my Department in future years.