Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 January 2024
279. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education what she is doing to assist with the shrinking play area at a school (details supplied) due to extensions and a growing school population in the area; if she will make a record of the current situation regarding inadequate parking space at school and the ongoing safety issues presenting due to same; and if she will review this case urgently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2512/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy, that my Department is not in receipt of a current application from the school in question, for the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme.
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.
The main focus of resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics. As a result, the current priority under the Additional Accommodation scheme is the provision of essential classroom accommodation to meet demographic demand or where an additional post is being appointed.
Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €3.5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 840 school building projects, and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects.
I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has received correspondence from the school in question regarding retrospective funding for the play area at the school. Officials in my Department will consider the correspondence received and will liaise with the school authority directly.
It is also open to the school in question to apply for my Department's Emergency Works Scheme, which will consider applications for funding to address any immediate health and safety issues arising.
The Department has a general policy to conserve the external recreational and sports facilities on school grounds as best as possible. Where this is not achievable to facilitate the location of an extension or modular building, it is the intention these areas are replaced where suitable alternative locations are available on the school site.
Each school site presents its own unique technical challenges and it is expected that school design teams take the following factors into account when developing project designs:
Scope for a two-storey rather than single storey extension to minimise footprint on the existing school site;
Requirement for existing Ball Court etc. to be relocated elsewhere on site where feasible; and
Site topography and gradient.
The Department is conscious that a well-designed external environment enhances the educational experience for all pupils. This is reflected in the Department’s Design Guidelines for delivery of school building projects. However, it is important to note that these are guidelines and flexibility is required on how they are implemented at individual project level having regard to the size and constraints of individual school sites.
I want to reassure the Deputy of the Departments commitment to ensuring school building projects are delivered in a manner that conserves external play areas as best as possible.
