Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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192. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will set out the process by which schools may apply for funding for the development of playground facilities, particularly where such facilities would be available for use both by pupils and by the wider community; and if she will provide details of any funding schemes or application processes currently available to schools for this purpose. [53264/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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. 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.

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. The current design guidance for new primary and post primary schools includes hard-surfaced play areas for both recreation and physical education activities. The guidance also includes for the provision of landscaped areas on school sites providing a variety of external informal and social areas to suit the learning development and cultural needs of pupils/students during breaks and before and after school, and for a range of more formal curriculum needs. In addition, the design guidance for accommodation for pupils with special educational needs includes the provision of external play areas with soft-surfacing and sensory gardens.

As schools are often the centre of sustainable communities there can be mutual benefits in building links with the local community. It is recognised that schools play an important role in their wider communities and many schools make their facilities available outside of school hours for a variety of different uses and users. The co-operation between schools and local sporting organisations in applying for sports grants is one example of this. The policy of my Department is to support the use of school premises and facilities for community, recreational, education-related and other relevant purposes where possible.

The Deputy may be aware, the recently announced details in respect of the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme 2026 onwards. The purpose of this scheme is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works which, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The scheme will operate on a multi-annual basis for a number of categories including external environment projects, which could include the provision or upgrade of outdoor play areas. Full details of the new scheme including the Circular and guidance documents for schools can be found on the department’s website. Schools can also use their minor works grant to upgrade outdoor play areas including basketball courts. Repairs to existing play areas may be considered under the department’s Emergency Works Scheme. The scheme is intended to remedy an emergency situation and usually provides an interim measure until a permanent solution can be delivered. In the case of outdoor play areas this usually only includes repairs to existing play areas but each application is assessed on its own merits.