Minister Quinn announces 50 major school building projects as part of €2bn five year plan
Nollaig 10, 2012
Projects to provide over 25,000 permanent school places and 4,000 jobs
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn, T.D., has today announced the 50 school projects which are scheduled for construction in 2013.
A €2 billion five-year capital investment programme, launched by Minister Quinn last March, gave details of 275 new major school building projects to begin over the period 2012-2016.
The projects being announced today are part of the five year plan.
Some €370 million will be spent on primary and post-primary infrastructure next year, with a projected expenditure on large scale projects of more than €240 million.
The major projects scheduled to proceed to construction in 2013 comprise:
22 new schools at primary level
12 extensions at primary level
13 new schools at second-level
3 extensions at second-level
Together with ongoing projects from 2012, this means that a total of 113 major school projects will be on site next year.
In addition, the Minister confirmed that a total of 53 major school projects have now reached substantial completion in 2012.
The 2013 construction plan will deliver over 25,000 permanent school places. Of these, almost 21,000 will be additional places and the remainder will replace temporary or unsatisfactory accommodation.
Announcing details of the building programme Minister Quinn said, “These major school projects are great news for communities the length and breadth of the country.
“Alongside the 25,000 permanent school places that are being built, this significant investment will lead to the creation of some 3,400 direct jobs and 680 indirect jobs. This is a welcome boost not only to the construction industry but to the communities where building will take place.”
Minister Quinn continued, “We are facing massive increases in our school going population in the coming years. Total enrolment in both primary and post-primary schools is expected to grow by over 70,000 between now and 2017 – over 45,000 at primary level and 25,000 at post primary – and will continue to grow up to at least 2024 at second level.”
“We have to ensure that every child growing up in Ireland can access a place in a classroom when they go to school.
“Today’s announcement is part of the Government’s plan to provide more than 100,000 permanent school places over the course of the five year plan.”
As 2013 progresses, projects scheduled to begin building in 2014/15 will be assessed to see if they are ready to go to construction earlier than planned, and if there is financial scope to do so.
Details of the progress of all major projects listed in the Five Year Plan will continue to be maintained and updated on the Department’s website, www.education.ie
