Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

365. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on her Department’s work to develop a programme to build and modernise PE and school sports facilities; if there is any information yet available for schools looking to upgrade their facilities and are interested in this programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6134/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1998 the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school and the principal is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school, including arrangements for co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. While the decision to become involved in organised school sports is a matter for each school, all schools are required to deliver physical education (PE) as part of the curriculum.

Under the Primary School Curriculum, the current PE curriculum provides a balanced range of activities for children through six strands namely athletics, dance, gymnastics, games, outdoor and adventure activities, and aquatics. Through the new Primary Curriculum Framework, published in March 2023, the suggested minimum curriculum time for Wellbeing, which includes PE, has increased: junior infants to senior infants will increase from 1.5 hours to 2.5 hours per week; first to sixth class will increase from 1.5 hours to 3 hours per week. The new Primary Wellbeing curriculum, which includes PE is currently under development by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

At Junior Cycle, schools develop their programme of study based on the physical activity areas of: health related activity; athletics; adventure; aquatics; dance; gymnastics; and games. School are required to provide a minimum of 135 hours of timetabled PE over three years of Junior Cycle, as part of the 400 hours of wellbeing. There are two options for PE at Senior Cycle – Leaving Certificate Physical Education (LCPE), which is an examinable subject, and the Senior Cycle Physical Education (SCPE) Framework which is non-examinable.

In LCPE, students learn about the different theoretical perspectives through their engagement in different physical activities. Each activity must be selected from one of six distinct physical activity areas, these areas are: Athletics; Artistic and Aesthetic Activities; Adventure Activities; Games; Aquatics; and Personal Exercise and Fitness. LCPE is designed to be taught in approximately 180 hours over two years.

The SCPE Framework provides a flexible planning tool for physical education for all students in senior cycle. Learners can be encouraged to undertake different roles and responsibilities, including leadership, coaching and officiating roles. They can learn to plan, organise, participate in and reflect on their experiences in physical activity. Schools are required to ensure that a double class period (totalling 80 minutes per week), or its equivalent, of Physical Education is timetabled for all senior cycle students.

Oide, the new Integrated Teacher Education Support Service, was launched on 1 September 2023. It promotes the quality of teaching and learning through the provision of Teacher Professional Learning and support for our physical education teachers. There are also a number of other funded initiatives such as the Physical Activity in Teaching and Learning Pilot Programme, and the Active School Flag (ASF) programme

Investment and expenditure on sports facilities in primary and post-primary schools is an element of the overall expenditure and investment in the School Building Programme. The provision of outdoor play areas form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings or where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school.

Practically all schools have outdoor play areas, and many schools use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools. Learning experiences relating to the curriculum such as Athletics, Invasion Games and Adventure Activities can take place outdoors on tarmac. Nevertheless, my department is conducting a review of the current tarmacadam specification and is involving a number of schools in a trial of the use of polymeric and astro-turf surfaces.

The Department's summer works scheme also typically provide for works to schools’ existing external play areas. Funding under this scheme is limited to currently approved playing surfaces including tarmac and concrete. As part of its future planning, Department officials are considering and planning for the next phases of the summer works scheme (SWS) and the opportunities this may create to support the sustainability agenda. The arrangements and timing of that SWS is still under consideration and schools will be updated in due course.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

366. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will support an emergency works application from a school (details supplied) for the replacement of old windows in the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6137/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The school in question currently does not have any outstanding applications on hand for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for a window replacement.

The purpose of the EWS is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies. It does so by ensuring the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation. An emergency is deemed to be a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment, which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action, and in the case of a school, if not corrected would prevent the school or part thereof from opening. It is open to the school in question to submit an EWS application for any issues which it considers might fall under the remit of an emergency as outlined above.

It should be noted that the EWS operates on the basis of a minimal scope works to address the emergency situation. The EWS is intended to remedy an emergency situation and usually provides only an interim measure until a permanent solution can be delivered under the Summer Works Scheme. which deals with upgrade works to the school.

Holly Cairns (Cork South-West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

367. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the timeline to build at a national school (details supplied) which was sanctioned in 2021 and that is still awaiting final sanction to go to tender for the build. [6148/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the Department’s pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide one early intervention unit and four special education tuition classrooms under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) Scheme.

A school building project has four points within the design and delivery process where approval from the Department to move to the succeeding stage is mandatory.

These stages are:

1. At stage 1/2(a) - developed design stage - before applying for planning permission;

2. Immediately where a Notice of Intention to Grant Planning Permission/Fire Cert/Disability Access Cert issues from the Local Authority with onerous conditions as these may be the subject of an appeal to An Bord Pleanála;

3. Before seeking tenders for the project

4. Before accepting a tender/placing a contract and commencing construction.

In April 2024 the school submitted a request to proceed to Stage 3 (Tender stage) without obtaining the necessary permission to advance through the first two stages outlined above. The school were then requested to submit a Stage 1/2a developed design report. In August 2024 my Department received this report which included an increased scope of works and the school were requested to reduce the scope in line with the approved brief.

My Department is currently awaiting the resubmission of this report to reflect these changes. Once received and reviewed my department officials will directly liaise with the school authorities to progress this much needed project.