Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 March 2024
231. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on progress under the additional accommodation scheme for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11465/24]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has very recently received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.
The purpose of the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
In order to meet these needs my Department has broadened its delivery streams and is utilizing Modern Methods of Construction, including Modular Accommodation, as well as traditional construction delivery methods. Modular accommodation has particular advantages in terms of overall timelines and also climate impact in that they do not generally have a reliance on fossil fuels.
In overall terms, it is important to have a range of delivery mechanisms for delivering school accommodation to support the current very strong and ambitious rollout of school building projects. This is particular relevant given the overall challenging construction sector market.
A number of factors are considered by my Department in determining the most appropriate construction method to meet a school’s accommodation requirements, including the timing and duration of that accommodation need, and other school-specific factors.
In support of the expedited delivery of critical school accommodation my Department has put in place a Modular Accommodation Framework. All of these supports help ensure that the administrative burden for schools on procuring and delivering modular accommodation solutions is significantly eased.
The Modular Accommodation Framework solution:
· Has significant benefits in terms of delivery timelines;
· Minimises the impact of the project on the operation of the school;
· Provides quality and sustainable accommodation that meets building regulation requirements and is Near Zero Energy Building (NZEB) compliant; and
· Climate proofing of the accommodation, given that the modular accommodation has the added benefit of utilising decarbonised heating sources which should also help with the school’s energy profile and costs.
The application is currently being assessed by my officials and a decision will issue to the school authorities directly upon completion of the assessment process.
