Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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54. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the capital funding that will be available for schools to apply for in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31032/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The total capital allocation available to my Department in 2017 amounts to €690m. Under the provisions of the annual capital sanction unitary payments arising in respect of delivered PPP projects are regarded as non-discretionary capital expenditure and must be met from the 2017 capital allocation. These unitary charges and other outlays arising on the PPP programme will cost in the order of €100m in 2017. 

The 2017 capital provision for the school sector amounts to almost €530m of which over €400m is assigned to the construction of large scale projects and the devolved additional accommodation scheme.  The management of complex capital programmes means ensuring in the first instance that available funding is allocated towards the delivery of large scale projects and the provision of additional accommodation. Details in respect of the large scale projects programme are available on my Department’s website. Applications for additional accommodation are received on a continual basis from schools as the need for extra classrooms arises.

The balance of the capital allocation in the school sector will be expended in 2017 on the acquisition of sites, the Summer Works Scheme, the Emergency Works Scheme, ICT infrastructure upgrade and other smaller programmes.