Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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274. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to name the 80 further school building projects that will progress to construction in 2026 and 2027. [67762/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 1,300 school building projects. In addition, repurposing and optimisation of existing accommodation capacity across the school estate has been a key enabler of timely, local provision of special class capacity in a way that supports best practice in inclusion and integration. Circa 80% of new special classes in 2025/26 are being facilitated in repurposed classroom accommodation.

Government support for this investment, including by way of supplementary capital funding, has delivered real benefits for school communities. Supplementary capital funding of €210 million approved by Government has brought the total capital allocation for 2025 for my department to €1.6 billion.

In July the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026-2030 under the National Development Plan. My Department will be publishing it’s Sectoral NDP capital plan shortly. A focus of this plan will be, in the first instance, to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible. Additional capacity will be provided through targeted and prioritised projects which will be delivered over the course of 2026 to 2030 which will meet the most urgent and prioritised needs while ensuring delivery that is affordable, offers value for money, and meets functional needs. It is envisaged that this plan will include a two-year rolling programme of projects proceeding to construction with the initial tranche for 2026 and 2027 period involving circa. 80 projects. There will be a strong special education dimension to these projects given the priority of Government to support children with additional needs. The publication of the sectoral NDP capital plan, and the subsequent publication of project rollout information will provide clarity for the school system on my Department’s plans for progression of projects to construction over the course of 2026 and 2027. The current status of all projects is set out under item number ten at the following link (www.gov.ie). This is updated on a regular basis to reflect project progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.

Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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275. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide details of the 80 schools that will progress to construction in 2026 and 2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67770/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 1,300 school building projects. In addition, repurposing and optimisation of existing accommodation capacity across the school estate has been a key enabler of timely, local provision of special class capacity in a way that supports best practice in inclusion and integration. Circa 80% of new special classes in 2025/26 are being facilitated in repurposed classroom accommodation.

Government support for this investment, including by way of supplementary capital funding, has delivered real benefits for school communities. Supplementary capital funding of €210 million approved by Government has brought the total capital allocation for 2025 for my department to €1.6 billion.

In July the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026-2030 under the National Development Plan. My Department will be publishing it’s Sectoral NDP capital plan shortly. A focus of this plan will be, in the first instance, to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible. Additional capacity will be provided through targeted and prioritised projects which will be delivered over the course of 2026 to 2030 which will meet the most urgent and prioritised needs while ensuring delivery that is affordable, offers value for money, and meets functional needs. It is envisaged that this plan will include a two-year rolling programme of projects proceeding to construction with the initial tranche for 2026 and 2027 period involving circa. 80 projects. There will be a strong special education dimension to these projects given the priority of Government to support children with additional needs. The publication of the sectoral NDP capital plan, and the subsequent publication of project rollout information will provide clarity for the school system on my Department’s plans for progression of projects to construction over the course of 2026 and 2027. The current status of all projects is set out under item number ten at the following link (www.gov.ie). This is updated on a regular basis to reflect project progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.