Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 October 2019
204. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide additional funding to a school (details supplied) to fit out its classrooms with the necessary furniture and appropriate materials for children with special needs following his Department issuing the school with a notice pursuant to section 37A of the Education Act 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39530/19]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding has been approved by my Department, in respect of the school in question, to provide necessary furniture and equipment for the new class. This funding is comprised of a once-off lump sum grant (€6,500 per class) towards the purchase of educational aids and equipment for special needs pupils enrolled in that class, a Loose Furniture and Equipment Grant, and an ICT grant.
Devolved grants such as the one-off lump sum grant allow individual school authorities the means to address their specific priorities with a guaranteed amount of funding and gives them self-determining control of their expenditure.
