Written answers

Thursday, 16 December 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Departmental Data

Photo of Thomas GouldThomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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385. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of applications under the minor works scheme she received for schools in areas (details supplied). [62559/21]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The payment of a minor works grant totalling €45m for primary schools and special schools, as part of additional support in the context of Covid-19, and a once-off Covid-19 minor works funding for post-primary schools of €17m announced on the 13th of December 2021 is paid automatically to schools in the free scheme with no onus on schools to make an application. 

In this context there have been no applications for the Minor Works Grant from schools in North Central Cork.

Applications from post-primary schools in the fee-charging sector will be considered on a case by case basis.

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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386. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of applications for new school buildings received; the number of applications successfully approved; and the number of new schools successfully built in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [62670/21]

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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393. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that have a school hall by primary, secondary and special school in tabular form. [62702/21]

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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395. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of DEIS schools that have a school hall by primary and secondary in tabular form. [62704/21]

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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396. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of DEIS schools that do not have a school hall by primary and secondary in tabular form. [62705/21]

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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397. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that do not have a school hall by primary, secondary and special school in tabular form. [62706/21]

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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400. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of applications received by her Department for the building of a school hall; and the number of applications which were successfully approved in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021, distinguished by primary, secondary and special school in tabular form. [62709/21]

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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401. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school hall builds which were completed in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021, distinguished by primary, secondary and special school. [62710/21]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 386, 393, 395 to 397, inclusive, 400 and 401 together.

My Department provides general purpose and PE halls with the construction of all new primary and post primary schools respectively. These facilities may also be provided where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school.

Investment and expenditure on PE halls is an element of the overall expenditure and investment in the School Building Programme. The provision of PE halls and outdoor hard play areas such as basketball courts, form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings or where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school.

Circa. 70% of primary schools have indicated to the Department as part of their 2020 Annual Schools Returns that they either have or have access to a nearby GP Room. Of the remainder, approximately 60 schools have major building projects in train that will deliver new GP Room accommodation.

At post primary level, almost 90% of schools have indicated that they either have or have access to a nearby PE Hall. Of the remainder, over 25 schools have major building projects in train that will deliver new PE Hall accommodation.

During the NDP period 2018-2020 there were 526 completed building projects under the Large-Scale Capital Programme and the Additional Accommodation Scheme, including 180 completed in 2020. Many of these projects would have included PE hall or GP room provision, though the detail requested by the Deputy is not readily available.

However, I can confirm that there are currently 377 schools (338 projects) listed on the Large Scale Capital Programme which would be expected to provide new PE halls at post-primary level (where none exist already) or GP halls at primary level (where none exist already).

Details of large-scale projects being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed on my Department's website at www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.

As the Deputy will be aware, 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 education needs provision. The Deputy will appreciate that the immediate priority of my Department is providing new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has a school place.

Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. There will be a rolling 5 year funding envelope will be updated annually for the period 2026 to 2030 within the Government’s overall NDP funding envelope of €136 billion in exchequer capital (€165 billion total capital including non-Exchequer) and will facilitate building a modern and sustainable school infrastructure.

This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. The strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock will have different strands which includes PE build and modernisation programme which will enable students in post-primary schools to have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision, particularly also in the context of the roll-out of PE as a leaving certificate subject. Enhanced and modernised PE facilities will also provide important amenities for local communities. This planned investment in the existing school stock will also incorporate the provision of ancillary accommodation such as GP rooms at primary level. The specific accommodation needs of Special Schools will additionally form part of this modernisation programme.

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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387. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new school builds in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and the number of these builds which included a canteen and food preparation and cooking facilities. [62671/21]

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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388. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools nationally that do not have a canteen. [62687/21]

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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389. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the average cost of building a canteen for a school. [62689/21]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 to 389, inclusive, together.

My Department has in place detailed design guidelines for primary and post-primary schools. These guidelines, which are available on my Department's web-site, currently provide for a standard range of servery and eating facilities in the design of new and refurbished schools. In Primary schools, a servery of 8.0m² in area is provided. At Post Primary level a kitchenette, 25m² in area, is provided off the General Purpose/Dining Area. These facilities are not intended to be full commercial type kitchens where food is prepared or cooked.

As these facilities are provided as part of the overall accommodation for new schools and refurbished primary and post primary schools, costs are not readily available. However, the Department publishes a Basic Building Cost limit which sets a guide for construction costs: www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0027_2021.pdf.

My Department does not hold details of schools with kitchens and/or canteens, or those without such facilities.

During the NDP period 2018-2020, there were 526 completed building projects under the Large-Scale Capital Programme and the Additional Accommodation Scheme, including 180 completed in 2020. Many of these projects would have included PE hall or GP room provision, with the associated servery of 8.0m² in the case of primary schools and a kitchenette area of 25m² in the case of post primary schools, though the detail requested by the Deputy is not readily available.

There are currently 377 schools (338 projects) listed on the Large Scale Capital Programme which would be expected to provide new PE halls at post-primary level (where none exist already) or GP halls at primary level (where none exist already). The related servery and kitchenette areas would also be provided.

Details of large-scale projects being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed on my Department's website at www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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390. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of DEIS schools that do not have a canteen. [62690/21]

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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391. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of DEIS schools that do not have cooking facilities. [62691/21]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 390 and 391 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not hold details of schools with kitchens and/or canteens, or those without such facilities.

My Department has in place detailed design guidelines for primary and post-primary schools.  These guidelines, which are available on my Department's web-site, currently provide for a standard range of servery and eating facilities in the design of new and refurbished schools.  In Primary schools, a servery of 8.0m² in area is provided.  At Post Primary level a kitchenette, 25m² in area, is provided off the General Purpose/Dining Area.  These facilities are not intended to be full commercial type kitchens where food is prepared or cooked. 

Under Project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands. The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. The current status of large-scale projects being delivered under Project Ireland 2040, including projects in the school planning areas in question, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.   

The Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional school accommodation (ASA) where required. Details of schools listed on this programme can be found on my Department's website at www.gov.ie and this information is also updated regularly. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation. 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.  The second half of the National Development Plan will see an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock.

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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392. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools by primary, secondary and special school, in tabular form. [62701/21]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Please find below the requested information.

Please note the data below is for the 2020-21 academic year, the most recent year we have published data for. We intend to publish the preliminary enrolments and primary and post primary school lists for the 2021-22 academic year before the end of the year.

Number of Schools 2020-21 Total
Mainstream Primary Schools 3,107
Special Schools 134
Post-Primary Schools 730

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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394. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of DEIS schools, by primary and secondary, in tabular form. [62703/21]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools is the main policy initiative of the Department of Education to address educational disadvantage at school level. 

In the 2021/22 academic year there are 884 schools in the DEIS Programme serving over 180,000 pupils - 687 Primary and 197 Post Primary.

Band  Number of Schools
Urban Band 1 227
Urban Band 2 104
Rural 356
Total Primary 687
Post Primary 197
Total DEIS Schools 884

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