Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 June 2023
117. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Education if she will outline the capital funding plans for the expansion of a school (details supplied) to accommodate growing numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31162/23]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy, that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for additional accommodation from the school in question.
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 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.
It is open to the school in question to submit an application for the ASA scheme. This application will be assessed by my officials and the school authorities will be contacted directly with a decision.
