Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2023
314. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update regarding an additional school accommodation application for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29421/23]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for additional school accommodation from the school in question.
The purpose of my Department’s ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation 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 school’s existing accommodation.
At primary level, this situation generally arises to cater for a school’s accommodation requirements where an additional teaching post has been sanctioned by Teacher Allocation Section, or the requirement for a new class for pupils with special education needs has been identified by the NCSE, and all available alternative accommodation within the school is already being used for classroom purposes
My Department's capital investment programme provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms for existing schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified. All school capital projects that have been approved, by my Department, under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA), may be viewed on my Department’s website, www.gov.ie, which is updated regularly.
The application from the school in question is currently under consideration by my Department and once it has been assessed the school authority will be contacted directly with a decision.
