Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2015
1328. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Kerry will be grant aided to extend the classroom sizes and other facilities to provide adequate accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32033/15]
View answerI can confirm that the school in question submitted an application for additional accommodation to extend the school classroom sizes.
Given the current financial constraints within which my Department is currently operating, priority is being given to applications for essential mainstream classroom accommodation in areas of significant demographic growth and where additional teaching staff has been allocated. This will continue to be the main focus for my Department in the coming years to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place.
The school in question was not allocated additional staff and my Department is therefore not in a position to provide additional classroom accommodation for the reasons outlined. The school has been advised accordingly.
While my Department's technical guidance documents use a guideline of 80 square meters as the standard size for a general primary school classroom this is applied to the design and development of schools in green field site situations. In the case of existing schools and given the limitations of existing buildings, site conditions and funding availability, it is not always possible to achieve the level of accommodation that is provided with a new school design.
