Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 February 2024
209. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education when a decision will be made on funding for temporary modular accommodation for a school (details supplied) given works on the school extension, including demolition works are to begin in September and the temporary accommodation needs to be in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5583/24]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the Department has no current record of receiving an application for additional temporary accommodation from the school in question.
The school in question received approval for a permanent build which consists of 2x Special education classrooms, 7x mainstream classrooms and toilets. This project is currently at stage 2b with delivery section. As part of this project, approval was given for purchased modular accommodation which was devolved to the school authority for delivery.
The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or 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.
In an effort to assist the school, officials in the Department have been in contact with the principal directly, and will continue to work with him on the provision of accommodation for the school.
