Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
529. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she will outline recent allocations to a school (details supplied) for improvements to the buildings; and if she will outline any planned works that she is considering for the school. [12949/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to 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 Planning and Building Unit of my Department has no record of an application for emergency funding from the school in question. Should an application be received it will be assessed and the school authorities notified of the outcome without delay
It is also open to the school to use their minor works grant for upgrades to their existing school accommodation.
