REVEALED: Tipperary TDs react to 176 Million NDP investment in schools and youth services

Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton last week announced the publication of the NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth sectors.

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The plan involves capital investment of €7.55 billion in schools and the youth sector over the period from 2026 to 2030. According to the department, the funding builds on progress made in recent years and is intended to support the operation of the school system and youth services through the provision of necessary infrastructure and facilities.

The €7.55 billion allocation is to be distributed across three main areas. A total of €5 billion in NDP funding is earmarked to support the rollout of prioritised projects aimed at providing additional capacity and the modernisation of facilities, with a strong special education dimension applying across all projects.

A further €2.25 billion will be directed towards supporting the existing school estate. This funding will cover maintenance, minor works and ICT grant funding, the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme, other climate-related programmes, and increased capital funding for the youth sector. The remaining €0.3 billion will be held as a contingency fund for the duration of the 2026 to 2030 period.

Minister Naughton said her Department has a strong record of delivery and that the €7.55 billion investment will be prioritised to ensure that every child has access to a school place.

She said the funding will also support the overall operation of the school system and youth sector in terms of capital infrastructure.

“My Department has a strong track record of delivery, and this €7.55 billion investment will be prioritised to ensure that every child has a school place and support the overall operation of the school system and Youth Sector in terms of capital infrastructure,” she said.

The Minister also highlighted new certainty for schools around grant payments and future maintenance funding. “I am particularly pleased to provide clarity and certainty for schools on the annual December/January payment timeline for the Minor Works and ICT grants which will help with budget management and builds on the good progress made on increased capitation funding in Budget 2026. 

The commencement of planning for increased minor works grant funding for primary schools and the introduction of minor works grant funding for post-primary schools is a very important and strategic investment in the maintenance of school buildings and will align well with the significant investment also being made under the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme,” she said.

The announcement has drawn a range of reactions from Tipperary’s TDs, reflecting differing views on how the funding will benefit the county.

Fine Gael TD Michael Murphy confirmed that €176.12 million has been allocated for infrastructure projects in schools across county Tipperary. He said the funding will support the construction and completion of essential school facilities and forms part of the wider education and youth sector plan under the National Development Plan.

Speaking about the announcement, Deputy Murphy highlighted the significance of the NDP Sectoral Plan for the Education and Youth sectors, saying it will assist schools in planning ahead and managing their budgets more effectively.

Deputy Murphy outlined the scale of recent investment delivered in the county. Between 2020 and 2025, 67 new school building projects have been completed in Tipperary. A further eight projects are currently under construction, with four more scheduled to start in 2026 and 2027.

Independent TD Michael Lowry also welcomed the publication of the plan, describing it as a landmark investment for the education system and youth services.

“I warmly welcome the publication today by the Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton, of the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for Education and Youth covering the period 2026 to 2030. This is a landmark investment which provides clarity, certainty and ambition for our school system and youth services for the years ahead,” he said.

Deputy Lowry said the plan recognises the urgent need to deliver additional and modernised school accommodation in Tipperary, with a strong emphasis on special education provision. 

“Importantly for Tipperary, this Plan recognises the urgent need to deliver additional and modernised school accommodation, with a strong and welcome emphasis on special education provision.

I am particularly pleased that key Tipperary projects are included in the pipeline, including St Anne’s Special School, Roscrea, Scoil Ruáin, Killenaule and Scoil Aonghusa, Cashel -  all of which are vital to meeting current and future educational needs in their communities,” he said.

Deputy Lowry also welcomed the increase in youth funding. “In addition, the doubling of Youth Capital Funding to €4 million per annum is a significant step forward and will enhance the ability of youth services to support young people in our communities,” he said.

While local TDs praised the plan, Labour’s Alan Kelly criticised it, saying that north Tipperary had been largely ignored. “As part of the National Development Plan the Government has announced that 105 schools are going to progress to tender and/or construction, as appropriate, over the course of 2026 and 2027. Only one school in north Tipperary has received funding,” he said.

 “While funding for St Anne’s Special school in Roscrea is very welcome, I am absolutely astonished that it is the only school in north Tipperary to receive funding from this Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael/Independent Government. 10 schools are getting investment in Galway, the home county of the Minister for Education,” he said.

 Deputy Kelly criticised the exclusion of Coláiste Phobail in Roscrea. “I’m disgusted that Colaiste Phobail in Roscrea, the only secondary school in the town serving such a wide catchment, is not on this list.

They have been on a capital plan over a decade, received confirmation they were getting a new school in 2021, have gone for planning for provision of a new replacement 800 pupil Post Primary School with 4 Class SEN Base on an existing site but are still not on this list,” he said. 

He also raised concerns about Coláiste Mhuire in Thurles, Newport College and Nenagh Community National School, detailing approved projects, capacity pressures and building condition issues at each location.

“All of these projects and more didn’t receive funding from this Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael/Independent Government. 

These four that I have highlighted are particularly concerning and wrong as there is a huge urgency around them all and because of this lack of investment students and staff will be impacted negatively for years to come.

It’s clearly obvious that North Tipperary isn’t a political priority and we have to wait while other areas receive substantial funding. It’s utterly disgraceful,” he said.

Overall, the NDP represents a €176.12 million investment in Tipperary’s schools and youth services, providing funding for new buildings, modernised facilities, and expanded capacity.

The plan highlights both progress across the county and the challenge of distributing investment fairly to all communities.

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