SCHOOL INVESTMENT PROGRAMME

6th March, 2012

GOVERNMENT PLANS TO PROVIDE IMPROVED SCHOOL FACILITIES

The Minister for Education recently announced that the Government will be investing more than €1.5billion over the next five years in improving school facilities across this country. The Government through this investment will set about replacing hugely expensive rented prefabs by building permanent accommodation as well as providing other schools in most need of modern facilities with new school buildings. This announcement reflects our Programme for Government commitment to prioritise building projects for schools most in need of improved facilities.

HOW MANY SCHOOLS WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS INVESTMENT?

When the Prefab replacement programme and the School Building Programme is combined nearly five hundred schools across the country will have the opportunity to modernise their facilities. The School Building Programme will see more than 270 projects move forward with 149 new schools being built and an additional 114 extensions being built to primary and secondary level schools. This investment will result in over 11% of the total school going population of this country benefiting from new permanent buildings and structures during the lifetime of this Fine Gael-led Government.

 

A further 200 schools will have chance to avail of funding from the Department to build permanent buildings in 2012 and replace their existing prefab accommodation. For too long, many schools have rented prefabs at a huge cost to the State to use as resource rooms and classroom accommodation. The actions of our Fine Gael-led Government means that new and improved accommodation will be provided to an estimated 6,000 students across the country.

 

WHAT DOES THIS PLAN MEAN FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS?

As indicated earlier, a number of local schools will benefit greatly from the announcements recently made by the Government.

 

  • STANHOPE STREET CONVENT PRIMARY SCHOOL

A new school building will be constructed. Planning permission has already been approved and it is expected that construction work on the new facility will start this year.

 

  • ST. GABRIEL’S NATIONAL SCHOOL, COWPER STREET

A grant can be applied to the Department for replacement of prefabs with a new classroom that has been in situ for a substantial period of time. Planning permission will have to be sought before any works begin.

 

  • GAELSCOIL BHARRA, CABRA

After more than fifteen years campaigning for a permanent school building, the Gaelscoil Bharra has been included in the school building programme. Final designs will have be drawn up and planning permission applied for. It is envisaged that construction work will start in 2014/5.

 

  • DUBLIN 7 EDUCATE TOGETHER

The Department has agreed to provide funding for the construction of an extension to existing school facilities. Design work will have to be agreed before a planning application is lodged with Dublin City Council.

 

In conclusion, let me say how delighted I am that our Fine Gael-led Government has been able to deliver on advancing the causes of local schools. Despite our economic difficulties our Fine Gael and Labour Government is doing all possible to ensure that our children are educated in safe and modern facilities.