I propose to take Questions Nos. 248 and 249 together.
Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. The capital allocation for my Department is €860m for 2023.
This provides a platform for strong rollout of school building projects and delivering on the ambitions set out in the NDP in respect of catering for demographics, provision for special education needs etc. This investment will also facilitate an increased focus on the modernisation of existing school stock and help transition the school system for an era of net zero carbon by 2050.
My Department has a large pipeline of projects for delivery under the school building programme. There are currently in excess of 300 school building projects at construction with other projects in design and at or near the tendering stage. There are central arrangements in place for dealing with inflation which are reflected in the Co-Operation Framework for Inflation which was announced by Government earlier this year. This framework provides clarity for contractors when tendering for public works contracts. The current status of all projects are listed on a county by county basis at www.gov.ie and is updated on a regular basis to reflect their progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
My Department continues to keep the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform updated on NDP rollout.