The school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding to build 2 mainstream classrooms and 2 resource rooms under my Department’s Additional Accommodation Scheme 2013.
The school authority recently submitted an alternative proposal to use the approved funding to provide a range of different and mostly ancillary accommodation and works to the external environment none of which reflects the original approval given. Critically, the extra mainstream classes approved were not included in the proposal.
The school authority have been informed that this development is not acceptable to the Department. It has also been informed that the funding is still available to build the accommodation that was originally approved. My Department awaits to hear from the school in this matter.