Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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712.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of school projects (details supplied).[35968/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The position on individual projects within the overall school building pipeline of projects evolves all the time and the current status of all projects including those projects referenced by the Deputy are listed on a county by county basis atwww.gov.ie. This information is updated on a regular basis to reflect their progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.

Since 2020, the department has invested in the region of €5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 950 schools building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 350 other projects, which includes 36 new school buildings. These 350 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.5bn. 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.

Notwithstanding this level of investment, it is also important to note that all individual projects form part of a larger programme. The Department must manage the wider programme within the context of available resources, including funding parameters. In doing so, the Department targets and prioritise areas that are under greatest pressure for additional school places. This reflects the Department’s fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of a school place for every child. The main focus of the Department’s capital funding over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics and children with special education needs. The overall position with regard to potential modernisation and replacement of existing school infrastructure will be kept under review as capital funding allocations for future years are clarified.