Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 April 2024
41. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education if she has received an application for additional classroom accommodation from a school in County Cork (details supplied), and in light of significant planned increased enrolment and existing classroom inadequacies, if she will expedite approval in this case. [16874/24]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application, under the Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question for additional mainstream and special education tuition accommodation.
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 or by other schools in the area.
The main focus of the Department’s resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics. 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. This is in line with public spending requirements.
The consideration of the accommodation requirements for the school in question forms part of the Planning and Building Unit’s overall assessment of its work programme and priorities in the context of available capital funding.
The provision of required school places, including for children with special educational needs, is a priority for the Department. Officials in my Department are working to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet the school place needs in the school in question and the wider area for 2024/25 and future years.
I can confirm that the application for the school in question is being considered in this context and a decision will issue to the school authorities as soon as possible.
