Schools need ‘large-scale investment’

LARGE-SCALE investment is needed to modernise school infrastructure to cater for the growing population and special needs pupils, a senior minister said yesterday.

Education Minister Mary Hanafin said challenges remain in the coming years to meet increased accommodation requirements.

“Large-scale investment is still required to continue the process of modernising our schools infrastructure. With increased numbers of teachers coming into the system — some 4,000 since 2002 — increased specialist accommodation to cater for pupils with special needs, booming population growth areas particularly in the greater Dublin area and the demands for greater diversity from both Educate Together and Gaelscoileanna sectors, we need to work with school communities to maximise the benefits from our investment,” Ms Hanafin said.