Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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292. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update regarding the proposal and request to provide an new primary school (details supplied) for Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim; if her officials based in the building unit are aware that Leitrim County Council has identified a possible site for a new primary school within the recently passed Carrick Area Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33429/25]

Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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293. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on a school development (details supplied) in County Leitrim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33438/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 292 and 293 together.

My Department recently approved funding for an additional 2 Mainstream Classrooms for the school referred to under the Department’s Additional Accommodation Scheme to cater for its interim accommodation needs pending the outcome of ongoing engagement with the school authority on its longer-term requirements.

Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan (NDP), involving the completion of over 1,375 school building projects.? Government support for this investment, including by way of supplementary capital funding, has delivered real benefits for school communities. A recent Government decision has approved €210m supplementary capital funding for my department to support the provision of special education accommodation and meet school place needs. This brings the total capital allocation for 2025 for my department to €1.6bn.

As part of the NDP Review process, all departments, including my department, are currently engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform with respect to NDP allocations for the period 2026-2030. It is expected that there will be clarity on these allocations over the course of the summer period, and this will allow my department to plan its capital investment programme for the 2026 to 2030 period in line with prioritised needs and reflecting, as appropriate, wider Government priorities. Maximising existing capacity in schools to meet needs is very important. The progression of prioritised individual projects to meet the most urgent needs in the 2026 to 2030 period that cannot be met through existing capacity across schools in the local area will be considered on a rolling basis from Autumn onwards after the NDP allocations are finalised.