Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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362. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the funding is open to schools to apply for an astro turf pitch and upgrade to basketball court (details supplied); the details of these schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9089/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The provision of sports halls and outdoor hard play areas is part of the overall School Building Programme and form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings. Almost 95% of the post primary schools that made 2020 Annual Schools Returns have indicated to the Department that they either have a PE Hall/Sports gym, access to a nearby PE Hall/Sports Gym, or a project in train that will deliver a new PE Hall/sports gym while practically all schools have outdoor play areas and many schools use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools. The Department provides professional and technical support and guidance documentation to design teams appointed to progress approved school capital projects including sports halls and outdoor play areas.

Funding is also provided for the development of playgrounds in existing schools by my Department under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS). The purpose of the SWS is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis and, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The SWS operates on a multi-annual basis for a number of categories. Schools can also use their minor works grant to upgrade outdoor play areas including basketball courts. The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme 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.

The priority of my Department within its funding parameters continues to be the provision of required additional school places to meet demographic requirements as well as for children with special educational needs. 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 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. This is a record level of investment in school infrastructure. 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.