Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
410. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education when the board of management of a school (details supplied) in Donegal can expect a response to its letter of 21 February 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11904/24]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that the department is in receipt of a letter dated the 21st February 2024 from the Board of Management of the school in question in relation to the acquisition of a greenfield site by the school.
The Department is required to manage the overall school building programme so that we target and prioritise areas that are under greatest pressure for additional school places. This reflects the department’s fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of a school place for every child.
The main focus of the department’s capital funding over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics and children with special education needs. The overall position with regard to potential modernisation and replacement of existing school infrastructure will be kept under review as capital funding allocations for future years are clarified.
The school in question has been approved a building project under my Department’s ASA scheme that would provide for 2 mainstream classrooms and 2 special education tuition rooms. This project is currently at stage 3 with our delivery team. In addition further funding was approved under the ASA scheme in 2022 for modular accommodation to provide 1 mainstream classroom and 2 special education tuition rooms. In early 2023, the brief for the school was reviewed and increased to provide 1 Special Education classroom in addition to 1 mainstream classroom and 2 Special education tuition rooms.
As you will be aware, a devolved Minor Works Grant is also payable to schools. This grant provides good flexibility at local school level to make improvements to the physical infrastructure of school buildings and it is open to schools to prioritise the works they wish to undertake within the terms of the scheme. In addition immediate issues affecting the operation of the school can be addressed under the department’s Emergency Works Scheme (EWS).
The Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform will be engaging with Departments on NDP allocations for the period 2026 to 2028 over the coming months, with allocation decisions expected during the first half of 2024. In this context I can assure the Deputy that the contents of the Board of Management's letter has been noted.
