Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 October 2023
13. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Education when her Department will review and sanction the application for a building extension at a school (details supplied) as the current situation around accommodation for students is not sustainable due to its enrolment at 663 (an increase of almost 50% since its original accommodation was granted in 2019) which includes a co-educational aonad stream. [45048/23]
View answerAcross from my constituency office on Pearse Road in Sligo is Mercy College, Sligo. On numerous occasions, I have heard nothing but positive references to the parents, teachers and students of this great college. Its enrolment is now at 663, which is an increase of almost 50% since the original accommodation was granted in 2019. It has applied for a building extension and has been informed that a review of the accommodation is taking place within the Department. I would like to know when that review will take place, and whether it will be positive.
An application for provision of additional capacity at the school in question was given initial approval in 2019 for delivery on a devolved basis under the Department's additional school accommodation, ASA scheme. This approval included provision for mainstream, specialist rooms and two special educational needs classes.
The main focus of the Department’s additional accommodation scheme is on provision of additional capacity to meet the requirement for school places, including for students with special educational needs. The accommodation needs of the school in question were assessed in that context and a requirement for additional classroom accommodation was identified. Having appraised the accommodation needs of the school based on the information that was available at the time, the project brief was agreed by the school authorities, with an agreed long-term expected enrolment of 650 pupils. Official approval issued to the school to proceed with this project and it is currently at stage 1 of the architectural planning process.
However, the school has since submitted a further application for the ASA scheme and requested a full review of its entire accommodation. The needs of the school and the wider school planning area are currently being reviewed by my officials, to consider the scope of necessary provision in the school under reference. A key overarching priority is to ensure that existing school capacity is fully utilised across a local area before any additional capacity is considered.
Officials have been in touch with the school authorities directly to seek information relating to a number of issues, in order to allow for a full review of the application as requested by the school. When this information is received, the assessment process will be concluded and a decision will be conveyed to the school authorities directly. In the interim, it is also open to the school in question to apply for the Department's emergency works scheme, which will consider applications for funding to address any immediate health and safety issues arising.
The main focus of the Department’s resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on the provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics. The Department is required to manage the overall school building programme in order that we target and prioritise areas that are under greatest pressure for additional school places. The overall position with regard to potential modernisation and replacement of existing infrastructure will be kept under review as capital funding allocations for future years are clarified.
I thank the Minister, and I appreciate that the Department has a large number of projects to manage but we would appreciate if the Minister could follow up on our request so this project can be moved forward. Three years on from the announcement of this project, the accommodation remains the same despite an increase of 25% in our student enrolment. When the Minister is down in Sligo and the north west in time, I invite her to call in to my office and call over to see this wonderful school.
I would be delighted to, when I am in the Deputy's area. I will say that initial approval was granted but the school itself came back with a request for a full review of its application. The Department is working with the school in that regard. As I have said, the Department engaged directly with the school to seek information on a number of issues in order for it to make the fullest review of the application. When the Department is in full receipt of this information, the assessment process will be completed as quickly as we possibly can. I am very pleased to say that there is engagement between the school and the Department.
I appreciate the demands that are there but we need to keep lines of communication open between the Department and the school. We will do everything to ensure that this happens.
I thank the Deputy and we look forward to receiving the information from the school and continuing to engage with it prior to the full review of the application.
