Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 April 2017
52. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the accommodation crisis at a school (details supplied) which is forcing the preschool child care facility to seek alternative premises. [16511/17]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware, from previous questions and correspondence concerning the specific preschool to which the Deputy refers, that the prior approval of the Minister should have been sought, for the preschool, in order that the overall needs of the school could be accommodated.
There is no provision contained in this year’s budget for additional capital investment by my Department specifically in relation to pre-school and after-school services. In general, capital funding by my Department is reserved for provision of school accommodation for primary education upwards. Funding for pre-school services is a matter for my Colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
Proposals to the Minister for Education and Skills, to allow use of accommodation for pre-school purposes, during the school day, have been facilitated in the past, provided a school's current and future accommodation needs are not compromised and the consent of the patron has been received. In the case of the school in question, future accommodation needs for the primary school intake will take precedence over the needs of the preschool.
The Department has provided a 24-classroom school at this location to meet its statutory responsibility in respect of primary school provision. It is envisaged that the school will reach full capacity in respect of provision for primary, school-going children, in the 2018/19 academic year.
