Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton has announced a €7.55bn capital investment plan for the Education and Youth sectors from 2026 to 2030. The funding prioritises expanding school capacity, modernising facilities, and supporting special education needs (SEN).

Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton has announced a €7.55bn capital investment plan for the Education and Youth sectors from 2026 to 2030. The funding prioritises expanding school capacity, modernising facilities, and supporting special education needs (SEN).

Key Allocations:

– €5bn: Project rollouts, including 300 ongoing constructions and 105 new projects starting in 2026/27 to deliver 57,000 total school places.

– €2.25bn: Maintenance, ICT grants, and climate action schemes.

– €4m annually: Doubled funding for youth services.

The plan introduces certainty for Minor Works and ICT grants with fixed annual payment windows and schedules a new PE Hall programme for 2029.