Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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87. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there has been any update in relation to the provision of funding for the construction of a PE hall for which planning permission has already been granted for a school (details supplied). [35271/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The school referred to by the Deputy has received approval under my Department’s Additional Accommodation Scheme (ASA) to deliver a project consisting of 6 mainstream classrooms, 2 SET rooms and toilets. The delivery of the project has been devolved to the school authority and my Department has recently received a Stage 1 report which is currently under consideration.

The approved accommodation does not include a General Purpose Hall and this is outside the scope of the ASA Scheme. The main focus of resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics particularly at post-primary level and for special needs provision.

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.