Marian Harkin
Question:122. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education for an update on the application to provide an ASD suite in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49931/23]
View answerThursday, 30 November 2023
Questions (122)
Written answers
I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application from the school in question for the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme and has been engaging with the school in this respect.
The Department continues to undertake forward planning in relation to meeting the accommodation needs of increasing demographics at post-primary, students from Ukraine and International Protection students. In addition, the Department also works very closely with the NCSE in relation to forward planning for increased special education provision in the form of additional special classes and special school places.
In planning and providing for additional school accommodation, the Department must also have regard to construction inflation pressures and competing demands on suppliers of modular accommodation and project management services.
In response to these challenges both in terms of demand for accommodation and costs, the Department must prioritise spending and seek to achieve value for money in line with the public spending code/NDP framework. In general, demographics have been falling at primary level and are due to continue to decrease.
Therefore the Department considers it prudent to maximise the use of existing spare accommodation capacity at primary level in the first instance, before considering any applications for further accommodation needs. In relation to the provision of primary special classes, the shared preference of both the Department and the NCSE is to use and reconfigure existing school accommodation to provide special classes.
A previously proposed solution was not agreed by the school and my Department is now reconsidering the requirement for additional accommodation in the context of any wider opportunities to meet the need for special classes in the area. My officials will be in further contact with the school in due course.