As the Deputy will be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.
The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the schools existing accommodation.
The Department has approved a number projects under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme for the following schools in Kildare, the projects are devolved to the school authorities for delivery:
Straffan N.S., Straffan, RN: 18644U - the project brief, which includes accommodation for pupils with special education needs as well as mainstream classroom accommodation has been furnished to the school authority for acceptance.
Presentation Girls' Primary, RN: 00779U - 4 mainstream classrooms, 3 SET rooms and reconfiguration of classrooms for Early Intervention Unit.
S N Cianog Naofa, Coill Dubh, RN:12998C - 1 mainstream classroom and 1 SET room.
St Patrick's NS, Newbridge, RN: 13328I - 1 special education needs base.
Hewetson NS, Clane, RN: 13902O - 6 mainstream classrooms and 1 special education needs base.
Rathangan BNS, Rathangan, RN: 15957D - 4 mainstream classrooms and 1 special education needs base including reconfiguration works for special class purposes.
Almhaine NS, Newbridge, RN: 17567A- 2 SET rooms prefab replacement.
S N Ide, Athy, RN 1750K - 2 special education needs class base.
S N Mhuire, Naas, RN: 18055B - 2 classroom special education needs class base.
S N Baile Mhic Adaim, Longwood, RN: 18092H - 1 mainstream classroom and 1 SET room.
St Conleth's NS, Carbury, RN: 18449W - 1 mainstream classroom (MCR) with interim MCR for Sept 22.
Newtown NS, Kilcock, RN 18650P - 4 mainstream classrooms, 3 SET rooms (1 prefab replacement) and 2 classroom SEN class base.
S N Tir Mochain, Kilcock, RN 18666H - 3 mainstream classrooms (prefab replacement)
S N Cill Daingain, Monasterevin, RN 18675I - 1 SEN class base and reconfiguration works for SEN class.
Scoil Bhríde, Leixlip, RN: 19407L - 2 SEN class base.
An Linbh Iosa, Naas, RN: 19597T - 2 mainstream classrooms, 1 x SET room and 2 SEN class base.
Scoil UÍ Riada, Kilcock, RN: 19897I - 7 x mainstream classrooms and 3 SET rooms.
Scoil Mhuire Allenwood, Allenwood, RN: 20505S - 3 mainstream classrooms, 2 SEN class base and reconfiguration works to existing smaller mainstream classrooms.
The Department has also approved major projects for primary schools in the north Kildare area and these are at various stages of the design and build process, details outlined below:
MERCY CONVENT PRIMARY SCHOOL, Naas RN: 10540T - New Build 32 classroom.
MONASTEREVIN CONVENT, Monasterevin, RN: 15769C - New Build 24 classroom + 2 classroom SEN base.
SCOIL NAISIUNTA NAOMH PHEADAR, Monasterevin, RN: 16707I. New Build 24 classroom + 2 SEN base.
MAYNOOTH BNS, Maynooth, RN: 17341U New Build 24 classroom.
ST CONLETH'S AND MARY'S NS, Newbridge, RN: 17872F New Build 16 classroom + 3 SEN base.
S N CONNLAODH NAOFA, Newbridge, RN: 17873H New Build 16 classroom + 2 SEN base.
SCOIL MHICHIL NAOFA, Athy, RN: 18288B - Extension and refurbishment 28 Classroom.
ST RAPHAEL'S SPECIAL SCHOOL, Celbridge, RN: 18988G - New Build 25 classroom.
ST ANNE'S SPECIAL SCHOOL, Curragh, RN: 1277B - New Build 16 classroom.
ST MARK'S SPECIAL SCHOOL, Newbridge, RN: 19455W - New Build.
ST PATRICK'S BNS, Clans, RN: 19796C, Clane - New Build 16 classroom + SEN.
SCOIL NAOMH PADRAIG, Leixlip, RN: 20526D - Site Acquisition Process.
GAELSCOIL RUAIRÍ, Maynooth, RN: 20527F - New Build 8 classroom + 2 SEN.
In addition, while the priority in recent years has been the provision of required additional school places, including places for children with special education needs, under Project Ireland 2040 there is an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock, including an energy retrofit programme.
Financial provision has been made in the National Development Plan (NDP) for funding support for the refurbishment of schools including retrofit. To prepare the way for this largescale retrofit work, a Pathfinder Partnership Programme has been put in place between my Department and the Sustainable Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
The Pathfinder Partnership Programme focuses on supporting energy efficiency retrofit in Primary and Post Primary Schools. These include retrofit improvements for the buildings, test approaches, build best practice and the development of a scalable retrofit model which can be replicated across the public sector.
Where improvements are made, the intent is to optimize improvements concerning fabric and ventilation, improve efficiency of lighting and HVAC systems and deliver space heating by means of renewable heat.
