Written answers
Tuesday, 27 February 2024
Department of Education and Skills
School Facilities
Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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217. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the assistance her Department is providing in relation to the shrinking of the play area at a school (details supplied) due to extensions and a growing school population in the area; her views on the current situation regarding inadequate parking space at school; her views on the ongoing safety issues presenting due to same and if she will review this case urgently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8938/24]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department received correspondence from the school in question regarding retrospective funding for the play area at the school. Officials in my Department will consider the correspondence received and will liaise with the school authority directly.
The issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of schools on public roads, such as road signage, traffic calming measures etc., is a matter, for the relevant Local Authority. Local Authorities have the power to decide on road safety measures outside schools to ensure that measures are in place to protect the safety of local school children
As part of it’s planning for 2024 and beyond, Department officials are working on the arrangements for the next phases of the summer works programme. It is envisaged at this stage that, a new Multi-Annual Summer Works Scheme (SWS) with a focus on climate action and energy conservation. Schools will be notified of the details of the SWS in due course.
The purpose of the SWS is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works which, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The SWS operates on a multi-annual basis and was last opened for applications in 2019. It will be open to the school in question to apply for funding under the Summer Works Scheme.
I wish to advise the Deputy that since 2020 my Department has invested in the region of €4.3 billion in our schools throughout the country, including the completion of over 750 school building projects with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 34 new school buildings.
School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion. We also have a large modular accommodation programme delivering urgently needed school places. This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities.
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