My Department’s school building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan is focused on providing the additional school places needed to ensure that every child, including children with a special educational need have a school place. This includes establishing new schools and extending existing schools in areas where more school places are needed to meet the demand in these areas.
The delivery of special needs places in schools is being prioritised under my Department’s Capital Programme and Additional Accommodation Schemes. The current status of projects being delivered under these schemes may be viewed on my Department's website www.education.ie and this is updated regularly. It is now Department policy to provide classes for pupils with special educational needs in all new schools being established or where a major extension is being provided.
The timing of the delivery of building projects generally may vary and depends on a number of factors including the availability of sites and securing the statutory consents including planning permission, fire and disability access certifications.