Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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202. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied); if it will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7670/20]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, for additional accommodation, including provision of a new sports hall, from the school referred to by the Deputy.

Under the National Development Plan (NDP), increased funding has been provided for the school sector capital investment programme. This funding allows for a continued focus on the provision of new permanent school places to keep pace with demographic demand and also provides for an additional focus on the refurbishment of existing school buildings to include the building and modernisation of PE facilities in post-primary schools.

Under the Ireland Project 2040, we will invest €8.4 billion (compared to €4.9 billion in the previous decade) in primary and post primary school buildings.

The immediate priority of my Department is providing 20,000 new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has a school place. The government will focus in the medium term on the provision of PE facilities in post primary schools.

My Department is assessing elements of the application under the terms of the 'Additional School Accommodation' scheme (ASA) to determine if there is any deficit of teaching accommodation. Once this assessment has been completed, the school authority will be contacted directly with a decision.