Special Educational Needs

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 October 2023

Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Questions (326)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

326. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 693 of 11 September 2023, the measures that her Department is taking to address further delays experienced by an autism unit in a school (details supplied); if her Department will take action to ensure that necessary work commences as soon as possible; the reason that further delays have taken place, meaning the new opening date will be sometime in November 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42668/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

As the Deputy is aware, the project is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. This programme provides project management supports to enable the accommodation to be provided as quickly as possible and helps to ease the administrative workload for individual schools in relation to the management and delivery of the project.

The overall construction sector environment is challenging. The Department is working closely with the Project Management team and the particular school's Design Team to ensure the project is completed as quickly as possible the date remains at November 2023 for completion however, work is ongoing to try to improve this timeline.