Written answers
Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Department of Education and Skills
School Accommodation
Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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349. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools in counties Offaly and Laois that have an application with her Department for new accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5916/25]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that the number of schools in counties Laois and Offaly that have an application with the Department for new accommodation are as follows,
There are 3 applications from schools in Laois and 2 applications from schools in Offaly.
From 2020 to 2024 the total capital expenditure for Laois was €104.27 million and for Offaly €66.79million. Within the same period there have been 30 projects completed in Laois and 25 in Offaly.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €5.7 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,150 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 40 new school buildings some of which are being delivered in phases. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.3bn.
The department previously announced 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.
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