Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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180. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of schools throughout the country likely to benefit from refurbishment or replacement in 2017; the extent to which adequate budgetary provisions have been made in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10750/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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There were 67 large scale projects under construction at the start of 2017 and a further 35 large scale projects have approval to advance to tender and construction during the year. It is expected that 46 of these projects will have reached substantial completion by the end of the year. Over €330m is available within the 2017 capital allocation for the delivery of large scale projects and a further €70m is available for the Additional Accommodation Scheme.  It is expected that will provide up to 20,000 additional and replacement places for pupils.

Over 250 projects were approved in 2016 under my Department’s Additional Accommodation Scheme and it is expected that a similar number of applications will be approved in the course of 2017. 

I also wish to advise the Deputy that nearly 50% of schools have applied for inclusion under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) 2016 and 2017 which reflects a very high demand. Details of successful school applicants in respect of Categories 1 and 2 were announced in April last and are published on my Department’s website .  I expect to be in a position to announce a further round of the SWS in due course.