Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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665.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made under the additional accommodation scheme for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31724/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to advise the Deputy, that my Department has approved funding for the provision of permanent additional accommodation of 2x Mainstream classrooms and 1x Special Education Tuition room at the school in question. The project is currently at stage 1 with my Departments delivery section.

Since 2020, my Department has invested in the region of €4.9 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 900 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 30 new school buildings. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2bn.

I also announced earlier in the year that close to 90 projects, including 28 new school buildings, would be authorised to proceed from tender stage to construction over the course of 2024 and early 2025. In total, around €800 million will be invested in these projects under the department’s Large Scale Capital Programme and Additional Accommodation Scheme for essential classroom accommodation.

Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in this latest phase, investments by the Department of Education are adding over 550,000 square metres of new and modernised capacity to our school estate.

This is a record level of investment in school buildings. It will expand the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure. The impact of this will be felt in communities right around the country.

The school in question has submitted a further application for temporary accommodation and my officials are liaising with the school authorities in this regard. Once a decision has been made the school authority will be notified directly.