Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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231. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the grant funding that is available under her Department for a new-build sports hall or multi-purpose hall for a school (details supplied); the timeframe for grant funding applications; the criteria for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46626/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for additional school accommodation (ASA) from the school in question.

Almost 80% of the post primary schools that made 2020 Annual Schools Returns have indicated to the Department that they have a PE Hall. A further 10% have indicated that they have access to a nearby PE Hall and 5% more have projects in train that will deliver a new PE Hall. At primary level, over 60% of schools indicated that they currently have a GP room. In total 70% of primary schools either have a GP room or access to a nearby facility for GP use and a further 3% of primary schools have projects in train which will deliver a new GP room. Practically all schools have outdoor play areas and many schools, use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools.

Investment and expenditure on GP rooms and PE Halls is an element of the overall expenditure and investment in the School Building Programme. The provision of GP rooms/PE Halls, at primary and post primary level respectively, and outdoor hard play areas 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.

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.

However, the second half of the National Development Plan period will see an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock. This will include a PE Hall build and modernisation programme to ensure that students in all post-primary schools have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision. The ancillary accommodation needs of primary schools, such as General Purpose rooms will also be considered.

It is open to the school authority to make an application for additional accommodation through the ASA scheme which is available at www.gov.ie.