Delayed school building projects will be delivered, says Norma Foley

Education Minister Norma Foley at launch of the new Primary Curriculum Framework for all primary and special schools at Dublin Castle on Thursday. Picture: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland

Education Minister Norma Foley has said “it’s a question of timing” for when new funding will be released, as she vowed delayed school building projects would be delivered.

Launching the new Primary Curriculum Framework in Dublin Castle on Thursday, Ms Foley said her department is liaising with the Department of Public Expenditure on securing the capital needed to build these schools.

“I’m assuring them they remain a priority for delivery,” she said. 

“The Department of Education is absolutely committed to deliver these schools. We’re in discussion with DPER to ensure the capital is released as soon as possible."

Last week,
Educate Together expressed its “serious concern” over school building delays, pointing to the fact a number of projects due to begin construction this year have been put on hold due to funding pressures.

It says vital school-building projects should now progress and be put out to tender “as a matter of urgency”.

The Dáil heard earlier this week that construction cost inflation was to blame for the delays, which is understood to affect 58 school building projects.

At a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party this week, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar acknowledged the problem had to be resolved and said he would work with Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe and Ms Foley to ensure this happens within weeks.

New framework

On the new framework for primary school education, Ms Foley said it was “very ambitious” and had been “borne of extensive consultation”.

Under the framework, there will be a full redevelopment of the primary curriculum and suggested time allocation for subjects. It will also introduce and expand the likes of Stem education, a broader arts education, and incorporate modern foreign languages into the primary curriculum.

Ms Foley confirmed there would be a reduction in the hours set aside for religion but said there would be “flexi-time” for schools to dedicate to whatever subjects they deem appropriate.

“The first element to be introduced will be the mathematics curriculum,” she said, indicating that work on that will now begin.

As for the teaching of modern languages, Ms Foley said she expected this to begin in schools in 2025. She said expertise may already exist “in the staff room” to teach languages such as French, German and Spanish. She also indicated learning a foreign language may be incorporated into teacher training at third-level in the future.

The framework's section on inclusive education and diversity, meanwhile, says it incorporates the best interest of every child, regardless of language, family background, religion, gender and sexual identity.

The Irish National Teachers Organisation said the reduction of primary class sizes to the EU average of 20 would be vital to the framework's successful implementation.

General secretary John Boyle said: “The Department of Education must ensure coherence in the system so that the implementation of the new primary curriculum is prioritised and initiative overload does not occur.”