The five-year capital investment programme launched in March 2012, worth €2.2 billion, gave details for 275 new major school building projects which commenced in 2012. In 2013 a further 28 major school projects were added to this list and these proceeded to tender and construction.
This announcement includes a further 16 school building projects and I am delighted that three of these are primary schools in Co Louth: Scoil Padraig Naofa in Bothar Brugha Drogheda which will get a new extension: Scoil Tigh an Iubhair in Tenure, Dunleer which has been allocated a new school building, as has Gaelscoil an Bhriadán Feasa in Mornington.
In total, 70 major projects are scheduled to proceed to construction in 2015 and these include:
· 44 new schools at primary level
· 11 extensions at primary level
· 5 new schools at second-level
· 8 extensions at second-level
· 2 new special schools
· 11 extensions at primary level
· 5 new schools at second-level
· 8 extensions at second-level
· 2 new special schools
In addition, the Minister confirmed that a total of 42 major school projects have now reached substantial completion in 2014. The provision of school places to cope with the demographic challenges is at the fore of this Government’s educational policy. Not only do we need to push ahead with building new schools to ensure every child has a place, we also need to constantly upgrade and renovate aging and unsuitable buildings to make them fit for purpose in the 21st century.
The aim is to provide 100,000 school places during the course of the five –year plan. Total pupil enrolment in both primary and post-primary schools is expected to grow by almost 70,000 pupils between now and 2017 - over 44,000 at primary level and 25,000 at post primary - and will continue to grow up to at least 2026 at second level.
These major building projects will also provide much-needed employment in the construction industry with 5,000 jobs expected in direct and 3,000 in indirect employment in 2015.
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