Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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142. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which she proposes to replace, extend or upgrade primary and second level accommodation in various areas, indicating a particular deficiency in this regard; if she expects to be in a position to augment her Department’s proposals for remediation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15966/15]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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143. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which her already published school building programme merits further enhancement, arising from demographic changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15967/15]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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145. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which she remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of primary and secondary level school places, in the towns and villages throughout County Kildare; if she foresees further action by way of augmentation, in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15969/15]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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151. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which facilities need to be upgraded and-or replaced in smaller or rural primary schools throughout County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15975/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 142, 143, 145 and 151 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that over €2.2 billion in funding is being invested by my Department under its Five-Year School Capital Investment Plan (2012 – 2016). Over €1.5 billion of this is being allocated for the funding of major school building projects across the country, including Co. Kildare. The balance is being used for programmes such as the additional accommodation scheme, the prefab replacement initiative, the Emergency Works Scheme and the acquisition of sites.

The primary focus of the Plan is 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 considers applications on an ongoing basis from individual schools for funding to meet an immediate accommodation requirement because of increased enrolments and where an additional teacher is being appointed.

My Department continues to review the most up to date demographic information to ensure that any emerging school accommodation shortfall, at both primary and post primary level, is identified and met in a timely manner.

The Deputy will also be aware that I recently announced a €36 million investment programme for the upgrade of 559 schools throughout the country, including schools in Kildare, under the current Summer Works Scheme (SWS). The 559 projects recently approved, will bring the total number of school projects being funded under the SWS to over 1,300, involving a total expenditure of almost €108 million. A list of these schools is available on my Department's website. In addition, in November 2014, I announced the allocation of more than €28 million to primary schools under the Minor Works Grant Scheme. This will allow schools to carry out improvement works to school buildings and grounds.

The current status of all projects, and details of schools approved capital funding, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ieand this will be updated regularly throughout the year.