Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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304. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the provision of extra accommodation will be approved for a school (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay in making a decision on the school’s application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36427/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the school referred to have been approved funding under my departments Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme for 2 mainstream classrooms, 4 special education tuition rooms and conversion works for 2 special education classrooms.

The school also received approval for funding under my Departments Modular Accommodation Programme for the provision of 1 special education classroom and 1 mainstream classroom which is currently occupied on site.

In relation to the traditional building project, I can confirm that an initial preliminary design for the project was submitted to my Department by the school’s design team for review. The design submitted included works that were not sanctioned by my Department. Officials from my Department were in communication with the school authority requesting clarification on these issues. The school were informed at that stage, that in order to proceed with this project based on the design submitted they would need to submit a new application to Schools Capital Appraisal Section ensuring to increase the scope of the project to incorporate the additional items they require.

Subsequently, officials from Schools Capital Appraisal Section have recently been in contact with the school authority and clarified the original approved scope of works and a brief has been agreed with the school. The project is devolved to the school authority for delivery.

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.