Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 November 2021
450. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education the policy of her Department in relation to having en-suite toilets in classrooms in primary schools; if there is a policy to ensure all primary school classrooms will have such a facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54673/21]
View answerMy Department has in place detailed design guidelines for Primary & Post Primary School Accommodation. These guidelines, are available on my Department's web-site at www.gov.ie/en/publication/7e515-technical-guidance-documents. The guidelines provide for the inclusion of both WCs and storage facilities in all new classrooms in primary schools in so far as possible and bearing in mind the overriding importance of ensuring all pupils are provided with a school place.
The purpose of the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
The main focus of resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics. The second half of the National Development Plan will see an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock. This modernisation programme will include ancillary accommodation.
Schools can also avail of funding in respect of their accommodation under the Annual Minor Works Grant or the Summer Works Scheme.
The annual Minor Works Grant at primary level enables schools to prioritise and address issues in their schools and this grant is paid annually in either December or January. Category 6 of the most recent multiannual Summer Works Scheme related to toilet refurbishment and all non-fee-paying schools had an opportunity to apply for this funding.
