The main focus of my Department’s resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics.
I can confirm that the Department is in receipt of an application, under the Additional School Accommodation scheme, for the school to which the Deputy refers. The purpose of the Additional School Accommodation 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 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 my Department. My officials 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.
In the context of making the most effective use of our capital allocation, and mindful of climate action goals, we are working to make sure that all school accommodation capacity is being maximised. We are looking at how each individual school's accommodation can be best utilised and at capacity across schools in each school planning area.
With this in mind and due to the complexities of the site at this school, the file of the school in question has been transferred to the Department’s technical team to undertake a feasibility study. The feasibility study will examine all aspects of the proposed project including the current school site and the current and future accommodation needs of the school. When the study is complete an update will issue directly to the school.
