Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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172. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps her Department has taken for rural Ireland since 2020. [21002/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware small schools are defined for statistical purposes as schools with 4 mainstream teachers or less. Small schools are highly valued in their communities in that they provide a vital link to local heritage and history, help sustain rural populations and often act as a link for sports and social activity. Under the Programme for Government the Department of Education is committed to continue to recognise the importance of small schools.

Under Project Ireland 2040, the Department is investing €4.4 billion over the period 2021 to 2025, to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost one million students and over 100,000 staff that learn and work in our schools every day. Over the last 3 years this Government has invested €2.6 billion in school buildings. This is a record level of investment and has helped to add capacity and modernise existing accommodation in schools throughout the country.

The Department of Education has a strong track record of delivery of school building projects, and this was achieved again in 2022 notwithstanding the wider construction sector environment of high inflation, labour shortages and supply chain issues. There were over 180 school building projects delivered during 2022 which included accelerated delivery of modular accommodation, responding to increasing prevalence of special education needs, to facilitate additional capacity in special classes and special schools to cater for over 900 children. Circa. 300 school building projects continued in construction at the start of 2023 - the majority of which will be completed over the course of this year and early 2024. In this regard, it is worth noting that there were over 50 new school buildings under construction over the course of 2022. This is providing high quality new and energy efficient modern facilities in schools throughout the country. The current status of all projects are listed on a county by county basis at www.gov.ie. and is updated on a regular basis to reflect their progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.

The Department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. The funding provides good flexibility at local level to assist schools to manage and undertake works that support the operation of the school. A total of €280 million in Minor Works Grants and Enhanced Minor Works Grants has been allocated to schools between 2018 and 2022.

On 11th April 2023, the Department of Education announced €29 million in minor works funding for primary and special schools for the 2023/24 school year. To provide schools with a good lead in period to plan and undertake works that will support the operation of schools going into the 2023/24 school year payment of these grants have now been processed.

Schools have the autonomy to use this funding for maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds. Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs. The works that can be undertaken under minor works scheme include maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds, improvement or replacement of mechanical and electrical services, the purchase of standard furniture and physical education equipment, the purchase of floor coverings and window blinds, the purchase of IT related equipment, ventilation improvements, and enhancements to outdoor learning environments.

Building on the Creative Youth Plan 2017-2022, the new Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027 was officially launched by Ministers Foley, Harris, O’Gorman and Martin on the 28^thMarch of this year. The Department of Education is the lead on a number of actions and also is a stakeholder across a number of actions contained in the Plan. The Plan incorporates existing Department of Education designed, led and national coordinated programmes right across the Country, including BLAST, Creative Clusters, Local Creative Youth Partnerships, TAP+ (Teacher Artist Partnership CPD & Residency Programme), Arts in Junior Cycle CPD programme and Music Generation. There will be a continued focus on ensuring that these programmes are developed and enhanced to target those hardest to reach children and young people throughout the country. In addition, the implementation of these programmes across the country, align with and supports implementation of wider strategies such as in relation to STEM and Education for Sustainable Development, and education policy objectives.

The STEM Education Policy Statement 2017–2026,sets out the roadmap to achieve and improve the STEM education experience and outcomes for all learners regardless, of background, location and gender, from early learning and care settings, primary and post-primary schools, and to support learners to progress to STEM pathways in Further or Higher Education. The Department of Education supports many initiatives which would have representation from rural Ireland to include BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, ESB Science Blast and Scifest. The Department also partners with Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) on their SFI Discover which aims to bring STEM to those who may not otherwise have considered the endless opportunities available that are out there. This includes those from disadvantaged backgrounds and rural locations. 15 projects have been supported to date.

The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. The scheme is a demand-led service based on the number of eligible children who apply to avail of transport. Children are generally eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria (3.2km at primary and 4.8km at post-primary) and are attending their nearest school as determined by Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. While the scheme operates in every county, given its nature and the eligibility distance criteria, the scheme is in the main a scheme that serves rural areas throughout the country. The Department recognises the importance of the school transport service for families and children, particularly those in rural Ireland.

In the 2020/21 year over 113,100 children, including over 14,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.

In the 2021/22 school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.

In the 2022/23school year over 147,900 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €332m in 2022.