€3.1bn for upgrading of schools

EDUCATION:CAPITAL SPENDING on education will exceed €4 billion in the years to 2016, with the great majority of this moving into primary and secondary education.

The higher-education sector was warned, however, that there was only a limited case for continued State investment.

Education and Skills was one of the few departments to see an increased allocation in the revised capital funding programme, with support rising slightly above that proposed by the National Development Plan (2007-2013).

The revised approach will provide €3.1 billion for the upgrading and expansion of primary and secondary schools, with €650 million available for investment in higher education, including universities, institutes and other colleges.

The expenditure was warranted, given a rising population since 1995. The higher birth rate was already affecting demand for primary school places and these would feed through to second level, the plan indicates.

Demand for primary places will increase by 50,000 to 570,000 by 2016, the revised funding programme says, and secondary school enrolments will rise from 161,800 to 188,200 by that year.

While there is rising demand for primary school places, “this does not necessarily translate into continuing demand for more primary schools”, according to the spending plan.

For this reason there is a need for change in the number, size and distribution of primary schools, it adds. At present there are 3,200 primary schools; more than half have five or fewer teachers and more than 600 schools have fewer than 50 pupils.

The expenditure will address the demand for more school places, it says. It will deliver 70,000 permanent places in new and existing primary schools by 2016 and 10,000 more places in temporary accommodation. Moreover, 15,000 additional permanent places will be provided in new second-level schools.

Funding for information technology facilities in the system would also mean significant funding under the revised capital spending plan. This would mean at least €37 million a year spent on these services, with a total €265 million invested by 2016.

The higher-education sector would also see improvements, including 8,600 new student spaces and improved facilities for another 25,600 students. However, the plan warns that “there is only a limited case for continued exchequer funding of capital investment” despite an expected rise in demand for third-level places.

The document also notes that capital investment would benefit from a fall in building costs so that budgets would go further.