Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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283. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address the need to provide additional funding for sports halls in schools. [23421/26]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that the provision of GP/PE Halls and Sports Gyms, at primary and post primary level respectively, form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings and are part of the overall School Building Programme. GP/PE Halls and Sports Gyms form part of the overall construction cost of a project. Consequently, the data in respect of the individual costs of all GP/PE Halls and Sports Gyms is not readily available. The school accommodation projects already delivered and the current status of all ongoing projects by county is listed on the Department’s website and this is updated on a monthly basis as part of our overall communication.

I can confirm that almost 95% of the post primary schools that made 2020 Annual Schools Returns have indicated to my 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.

Practically all schools have outdoor play areas and many schools use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools. My department provides professional and technical support and guidance documentation to design teams appointed to progress school capital projects including PE and GP halls. Approved projects are assisted with professional advice based on the published technical guidance available on gov.ie as they progress through the various stages of architectural design.

The Deputy will be aware that I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. A key part of NDP rollout is the completion of circa 300 school building projects currently in construction. The majority of these projects are expected to be completed in 2026 and will deliver over 30,000 school places in total including 14 PE halls. Progress will continue to be made under the NDP Investment Plan on both new and modernised PE Hall and GP Room provision as part of the rollout of new schools and large-scale projects in the existing pipeline. Funding will be invested to support curricular delivery and well-being across schools which will prioritise the development of PE halls and sporting facilities (including yards and play areas) in conjunction with the Sports Capital Fund to deliver for both schools and communities. Additional initiatives to be rolled out over the course of the 2026 to 2030 NDP period include a PE Hall programme targeting post-primary schools that do not yet have dedicated PE Hall facilities, for delivery from 2029 onwards.

I can also confirm that my department's new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme provides a mechanism for school authorities to make small-scale improvements to school buildings and also schools' external areas such as outdoor play spaces. Schools can also use their minor works grant to upgrade outdoor play areas while repairs to existing areas may be considered under the department’s Emergency Works Scheme.